# data[].attributes.body
If you take the risk of drinking, your also taking the risk of losing friends and family. Your family is an important aspect of your life, so don't do drinking over family. When making bad decisions you will most likely regret them later on, so it's not worth it. This could possibly be the outcome from becoming an alcoholic at a young age.

# data[].attributes.body
It's the closest people to you who get hurt the worst. If you start drinking at a young age, if continuing that act, you will most likely have financial problems. You will, also have relationship problem or harm others by drinking and driving. To learn more go to this website.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Effects of Alcoholism on Families & Close Relationships

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Alcoholism affects people beyond just the the person drinking. Friends, family and other people that a person suffering the effects of alcoholism interacts with on a regular basis are all likely to experience problems related to the condition.

# data[].attributes.body
With being young, drinking is a big health risk. It can lead to death or severe injuries. 7.7 million people ages 12-20 reported that they drank in 2015 in the past month. These numbers are extremely high, out of 7.7 million people I bet that a lot of them ended up in the hospital. If not gone to the hospital, they probably got sick. To learn more got click the link.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
alcohol alerts; alcohol research health; newsletters; pamphlets; brochures; professional education; research monographs; reports; publicaciones en español; delivery treatment prevention services; tenth report congress; epidemiologic data directory; data reference manuals; surveillance; pamphlets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
brochures; agepage aging; alcoholism: getting facts; family history; drinking your pregnancy; harmful interactions mixing alcohol medicine; health sciences education curricula; disparities materials; cut down; what you don't know can harm you; affect child; kids alcohol free; talk child about alcohol; science education; parents help teens party right graduation; underage drinking prevention; intimate relationships; combine; helping patients who drink too much; clinicians guide; pocket guide; economic costs; physician training; match; assessing problems guide; sentencing dui offenders; thesaurus; residence program new york; improving treatment practice north carolina; social work curriculum; state of science moderate drinking; nasadad issue brief one; un tema de salud de la mujer ; hable con sus hijos sobre el uso del alcohol ; antecedentes de alcoholismo en la familia; la bebida y su embarazo; mantengamos a los niño libres de alcohol; mezclando bebidas alcohólicas con medicamentos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Publications | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism | Underage Drinking

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As children mature, it is natural for them to assert their independence, seek new challenges, and try taking risks. Underage drinking is a risk that attracts many developing adolescents and teens. Many want to try alcohol, but often do not fully recognize its effects on their health and behavior.

# data[].attributes.body
Statistics show that people ages 12 to 20 drink, 11 percent of all alcohol consumed in the U.S. These numbers are ridiculous I believe that the percentage should be lower. nobody should be drinking under the age. By doing under aged drinking you are breaking the law and you can get in serious trouble for it. To learn more go to the website below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Underage Drinking is Common

Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among young people in the U.S. ³

The 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey ³ found that among high school students, during the past 30 days

23% drank alcohol.

11% binge drank.

5% of drivers drove after drinking alcohol.

14% rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol.

Rates of current and binge drinking among high school students have generally been declining in recent decades. Although males historically had higher rates, in 2019 and 2021, female high school students were more likely to drink alcohol and binge drink than male high school students. 3,4

Underage Drinking is Dangerous

Youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience ⁴⁻⁷

School problems, such as higher rates of absences or lower grades.

Social problems, such as fighting or lack of participation in youth activities.

Legal problems, such as arrest for driving or physically hurting someone while drunk.

Physical problems, such as hangovers or illnesses.

Unwanted, unplanned, and unprotected sexual activity.

Disruption of normal growth or sexual development.

Physical and sexual violence.

Increased risk of suicide and homicide.

Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes and other unintentional injuries, such as burns, falls, or drowning.

Memory problems.

Misuse of other substances.

Changes in brain development that may have life-long effects.

Alcohol poisoning.

In general, the risk of youth experiencing these problems is greater for those who binge drink than for those who do not binge drink. 6,7

Early initiation of drinking is associated with development of an alcohol use disorder later in life. ⁸

Underage Drinking is Associated with Adult Drinking

Studies show a relationship between underage drinking behaviors and the drinking behaviors of adult relatives, adults in the same household, and adults in the same community and state.

There is a relationship between youth and adult drinking, including binge drinking, in states and communities.⁹⁻¹¹ A 5% increase in binge drinking among adults in a community is associated with a 12% increase in the chance of underage drinking.¹⁰

Among adolescents whose peers drink alcohol, those whose parents binge drink are more likely to drink alcohol than those whose parents do not.¹²

Underage Drinking is Preventable

State alcohol policy environments influence underage drinking, as well as excessive drinking among adults. Comprehensive approaches that include effective population-level policy strategies can reduce underage drinking. 10,13,14 The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends several effective strategies for preventing excessive drinking, ¹⁵ including:

Increasing alcohol taxes.

Having commercial host ("dram shop") liability laws.

Regulating the number and concentration of alcohol outlets.

Enforcing laws prohibiting alcohol sales to minors.

The Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health describes other strategies that can complement effective alcohol policies, such as national media campaigns targeting youth and adults, reducing youth exposure to alcohol advertising, and the development of comprehensive community-based programs. Read more about the prevention of excessive alcohol use, including underage drinking.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Excessive alcohol use can lead to increased risk of health problems such as injuries, violence, liver diseases, and cancer.The CDC Alcohol Program works to strengthen the scientific foundation for preventing excessive alcohol use.

# data[].attributes.body
Some people don't worry about the future, they worry about the present. People like being in the moment, but they should really be paying attention to their life decisions. By drinking, you are taking away job opportunities, a relationship, friends, etc.... For some extra information and facts go to the website listed below.

# data[].attributes.body
If you are unable to get a job because you are intoxicated, how are you supposed to live? You need money to live, that's a fact. If  you are so addicted to drinking, people will put whiskey or vodka in their drink during work. You can get fired for that.

# data[].attributes.body
If you want to not have worries about money or anything in the future, stop drinking. Don't even try it if your curious, you can die the first time. Remember all it takes is one time. A place to get help is below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Frequently Asked Questions - What is SAMHSA’s National Helpline?

# data[].attributes.body
Someone needs to do something about this it is out of control. More than 4,300 kids die each year from drinking alcohol. Why do kids make these decisions when they should know the consequences, they know it it wrong. To learn more go to the site below.

# data[].attributes.body
You can, also look at these sites.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
alcohol alerts; health research world; ninth report to congress; tenth report to congress; executive summary improving delivery treatment prevention services national plan health services research; research monographs; epidemiologic data directory; surveillance reports; pamphlets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
other publications; agepage aging; alcoholism: getting facts; drinking your pregnancy; how cut down; alcohol: what you don't know can harm you; economic costs; physicians' guide; physician training; project match; assessing problems guide clinicians researchers; sentencing dui offenders; alcohol other drug thesaurus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Underage Drinking: A Major Public Health Challenge -- Alcohol Alert No. 59

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
(1) Johnston, L.D.; O'Malley, P.M.; and Bachman, J.G. Monitoring the Future: National Results on Adolescent Drug Use. Overview of Key Findings, 2002. NIH Pub. No. 03-5374. Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2003.(2) Johnston, L.D.; O'Malley, P.M.; and Bachman, J.G. Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2001.

# data[].attributes.body
Since our brain is not fully developed, alcohol will harm it. Since alcohol is classified as a depressant, it negatively affects the central nervous system.  From drinking a teenager could have violent outbursts, or be confused.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In the United States, the law says that a person must be at least 21 years old to drink alcohol. However, many people are tempted to drink while underage either from peer pressure or because of parents who drink. Regardless of the reason, statistics show that three out of every four teenagers in high school have experimented with alcohol. Many teens and young adults feel that alcohol won't harm them or isn't any more hazardous for them than it is for adults. But studies show that alcohol has more dangerous effects on adolescent brains than adult brains.

Alcohol Damages the Developing Brain

Alcohol adversely affects a teenager's brain more than an adult brain because the adolescent brain is still developing. Alcohol can damage every brain, but for teenagers the damage is more severe and can occur with smaller amounts of alcohol than with adults. For people in their early 20s and younger, there is an inverse relationship between the age of the person drinking alcohol and the damage that it does to their brain. This means that the younger a person is when they drink alcohol, the greater the damage from alcohol.

The average human brain continues to develop until the person reaches their early 20s. While the brain is developing, certain chemicals can do more damage than when the brain is fully developed. A good analogy is walking on concrete: Walking in wet concrete leaves footprints that remain after it is hardened. Walking on dry concrete won't leave footprints. Alcohol acts much the same way on the adolescent brain, leaving more profound damage because it is still "hardening." Adults whose brains are developed can also be permanently harmed by alcohol, but their brains can tolerate more drinking before permanent damage is done.

How Alcohol Causes Damage

Alcohol is classified as a depressant. Depressants negatively affect the central nervous system and slow down the brain. Teenagers will experience a greater loss of cognitive functions from its effects on the cerebral cortex. In short, alcohol diminishes the ability to process information. It also affects the brain's frontal lobes, which govern decision-making skills, the ability to form ideas and inhibitions. This makes a teenager more vulnerable to impulsive actions, such as violent outbursts. It may also inhibit their ability to plan and think ahead.

The hippocampus is also affected by alcohol and this area governs memory retention. Excessive drinking can damage an adolescent's short-term and long-term memory. Alcohol can also damage the cerebellum, leading to problems with balance, as well as the hypothalamus. Damage to the hypothalamus can be blamed for the increased need to urinate and lowered heart rate. The medulla is the section of the brain that regulates the body's temperature. Alcohol causes the medulla to lower the body's temperature, and can lead to hypothermia. Excessive consumption of alcohol can kill brain cells in all of the above areas. As a result, alcohol can result in all of these problems becoming permanent. The amount of alcohol consumption that can cause permanent damage is much lower for adolescents than it is for adults. Studies show that brain damage can occur in teens who drink only half as much as the average adult.

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol Damage

Young adults who drink alcohol run a greater risk of serious and lifelong problems than adults who drink. These problems include poor impulse control, which leads to unsafe sexual activity and unexpected bouts of violence. Memory loss, poor retention of information and even blackouts are also more likely to affect someone who started drinking in their adolescent years. Problems with balance and the inability to walk straight may more readily become a permanent issue with young drinkers. Tests have shown that people who start drinking during their youth have problems doing simple tasks like reading maps or assembling objects. Teenage brains are also more vulnerable to developing an addiction to alcohol, also known as alcoholism. Alcoholism is more severe among teenagers, is harder to treat and addicted teens are more likely to have relapses. Studies show that up to 47 percent of those who start drinking alcohol before age 14 eventually become addicted.

While we know that excessive alcohol consumption can cause permanent damage to the human brain, what hasn't been known until recently is why teenagers are more vulnerable. The teenage brain is still developing, which makes the effects of alcohol more likely to become permanent. Understanding this helps make it easier to see how adolescents are affected by alcohol consumption.

The following links include additional information about how alcohol affects the adolescent brain, and the studies that were performed to measure its effects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Alcohol Affects the Adolescent Brain - Stepping Stone Recovery

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the United States, the law says that a person must be at least 21 years old to drink alcohol. However, many people are tempted to drink while underage either from peer pressure or because of parents who drink. Regardless of the reason, statistics show that three out of every four teenagers in high school have experimented with alcohol.

# data[].attributes.body
The brain is very important, you need it to comprehend, learn, interpret, etc... As you can see below, alcohol doesn't spread that quickly it works its way through the brain by effecting each part slowly.

# data[].attributes.body
You can see a big difference between the two brains. The healthy one looks, so much better than the alcoholic one.