Many statistics show that the majority of teens today have tried alcohol at least once. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, roughly 5,000 young people under 21 die each year from underage drinking, including car crashes, homicides and suicides. Long-term injuries and adult alcohol dependence are potential dangers associated with teen drinking.
Bodily Danger
The brain develops throughout a young person's life into her early 20s. Research has shown that teens who consume alcohol can decrease their intellectual capabilities and can increase the likelihood of addiction later in life. Each year that a young person does not drink alcohol, the chance of dependence is reduced by 14 percent.
Sexual Behavior
The likelihood of a teen drinker to become sexually active is twice as likely than a non-drinker. The chance of the teen becoming sexually active is higher when a teen's alcohol level is higher. The risk of sexual activity to occur without birth control and having sex with someone a teen may not know is increased when alcohol is consumed.
Drinking and Driving
Forty percent of car crashes involving alcohol are from teen drivers or passengers. Teens may not have the ability to judge when they had too much to drink or they may be scared or embarrassed to call home for ride. Underage drivers who consumed alcohol are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those young adults over 21.
Suicide
Because alcohol is considered a depressant, it can intensify the feelings and emotions that coincide with depression and stress. This can lead teens to suicidal tendencies. Teen drinkers who binge drink are more likely to have attempted suicide than non-drinkers.
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