Under Age and Binge drinking is a huge concern in society today for politicians and scientists, as they know that drinking at such an early age can cause long-lasting physical damage. Over the last few years the number of under-age binge drinkers has increased dramatically and this could have a crippling affect upon our society. As this number increases, so does the statistical chances of catching sexually transmitted diseases, being raped or sexually assaulted, car accidents and aggression will rise too. Just look at some of the statistics below to find out what I mean.
I have quite an understanding of what alcohol can do to a human being, as a relative turned to drink after huge amounts of pressure from work, eventually ended up becoming an alcoholic. After many years of abuse his body eventually could no longer take the alcohol and he passed away at the pitiful age of 34!
This just goes to show how dangerous alcohol can be if not drunk in moderation.
I asked the following questions to a range of people around Carmarthen. The aim of the questions is to show you, the younger audience, what your peers think and to highlight the dangers that underage drinking can potentially cause.
Q. Is under age and binge drinking a problem in this area?
A. Yes, as there are far too many people going out to just get 'drunk'.
Q. Why are there so many under age drinkers?
A. There are many reasons for the large amount of underage drinkers - mainly peer pressure. Many people have older friends who pressurise them into going out into town with them. Other people then follow that person's example, until eventually there are large numbers of under age drinkers out and about drinking excessively.
Q. Who tends to go out more often; boys or girls?
A. There is no real answer to this question, it depends on a number of factors. Large numbers of both sex appear to go out drinking. Many young girls that do seem to go out however have older boyfriends, and this again comes back to peer pressure. It tends to be that girls are more frequent binge drinkers than then these days and aim specifically to keep up with the lads. Hence we now have the term 'ladettes'. Often it is an attempt to look older than they are or prove that they are on an equal level.
Q. Why do young people go out?
A. There are a few answers to this question. There are some people who just go out to have a good time, others go out to look for 'love'. People go out to take their mind away from the stresses of life, such as exams and general teenage angst. It's fine if you are going out to let your hair down and relax a little, but I begin to disagree when people go out and get so drunk that they no longer know who they are or where they are.
Some of our peers go out with the simple aim to get drunk and start a fight. What's the sense or reason in that?
One argument is that the drinking age of 18 is too high. At 16 you're able to drive a moped, smoke and have sex; the only thing that is not permitted is the fact that 16 year olds cannot drink. If we are responsible enough to be allowed to do these things, surely we must be offered the chance to be responsible drinkers too? Much of the problem may stem from boredom and lack of facilities. Maybe then we wouldn't have to act older than our years to get into pubs, as a means of something to do.
Drinking can have terrible effects on the human body, but not if it is drunk in moderation! 16-18 year olds should be able to go out and have limits on how much they can drink. However, this may not work as not every 16 year old will be able to control themselves. But this is the whole point of this article, to try and show young people how dangerous binge and underage drinking can be.
So the next time you might be tempted to get an older person to buy you vodka or some other alcho-pop from the off licence to get you paralytic, remember you might end up as another frightening statistic.
If you're not thinking twice already about your drinking habits already, you certainly might be when you have read the following statistics:
(Editors note: These statistics are taken from the USA-based website www.stats.org and relate to North America. For more information on who www.stats.org are, see the bottom of the page).
"60 percent of college women who have acquired sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS and genital herpes, were under the influence of alcohol at the time they had intercourse"
"90 percent of all reported campus rapes occur when alcohol is being used by either the assailant or the victim"
"The number of women who reported drinking to get drunk more than tripled between 1977 and 1993"
"95 percent of violent crime on campus is alcohol-related"
Alcohol is the number one drug of choice among children and adolescents. A higher percentage of youth 12-20 use alcohol (29%) than use tobacco (23.3%, or illicit drugs (14.9)
In 2002, about 2 million youth ages 12 through 20 drank 5 or more drinks on an occasion, 5 or more times a month (and more than 7 million reported this level of consumption at least once in the survey month)
Alcohol use by persons under age 21 poses both acute and long-term risks.
In 2002, 1.5 million youth ages 12 through 17 met criteria for admission to alcohol treatment (of these, only 120,000 received treatment).
Alcohol is a leading contributor to injury death, the leading cause of death for persons under age 21.
Each year about 1900 persons under 21 die in motor vehicle crashes that involve underage drinking. (About another 500 persons over age 21 also die in these crashes)
Alcohol is also involved in about 1600 homicides and 300 suicides among person under age 21 Levy, Miller, Cox, 1999;
About 1600 persons under age 21 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries (not related to motor vehicle crashes).
40% of those who start drinking before the age of 15 meet criteria for alcohol dependence at some point in their lives.
Research indicates that the human brain continues to develop into a person's early 20's and that exposure of the developing brain to alcohol may have long-lasting effects on intellectual capabilities and may increase the likelihood of alcohol addiction
Underage alcohol consumption results in serious second-hand effects.
Almost half of the approximately 2200 people who die annually in traffic crashes involving drinking drivers under age 21 are people other than the drinking driver (Among college students under age 21 alone, 50,000 experience alcohol-related date rape, and 430,000 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.Gordon
NOTE ON SOURCE:
www.stats.org are a non-profit organisation based in the USA, affiliated with the 'The Center for Media and Public Affairs'. On their website, this is how they describe themselves and their work:
"STATS monitors the media to expose the abuse of science and statistics before people are misled and public policy is distorted. Since 1994, STATS has sought to hold U.S. journalists to the highest standards of reporting accuracy, while providing them with concrete assistance to help them better understand the complexities and limitations of scientific and statistical material..."
For more information visit their website: www.stats.orgThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.
your comments
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Frank
I think some of the causes of binge drinking are the parents and school. Yes drinking is a problem because that's all my friends do is drink and some times my mom drinks a lot too - same with my brother and sisters.
Thu Mar 27 10:11:24 2008
welsh wayne
I dont think things are that different to when they were 30-40 years ago? I'm sure my parents went out and had a few too many to drink when they were teenagers just as today's do. In the 60's and 70's everyone was smoking cannabis or taking LSD and free love ruled!? Was that any better?
Every generation goes through the same thing, unfortunately a few become more dependant than others on drink/drugs and become alcoholics or drug addicts but as long as you're not starting fights or causing trouble why not go out on the weekend and let your hair down.
Since time began men and women have either been trying to make alcohol out of it, smoke it, or sleep with it. We are humans not robots, and humans are, to a large extent irresponsible, especially when they are under 25-30. I think there should be more support for people who become addicted but there never seems, even with all the tax we pay in this country, enough medical care for anyone these days! iechy da!
Fri Jun 15 18:05:16 2007
Tom Walford
I wouldn't say peer pressure is the main factor. Its the pressure from parents to achieve, from social demands, aka to 'fit in' and in general to become what people expect you to be. In general you are expected to be the best possible, and parents cannot accept there are others better than you. If you dont achieve these things whilst keeping an active social 'profile' you start becoming depressed.
I'm probably one of the few 'tee-totallers' in my year at school (upper 6th form), and most of my friends admit they all drink to down their problems. They cant admit it to their parents, because it'll ! just encourage them to limit their freedoms to concentrate on their work. Its a vicious cycle, and certainly aids the massive upsurge in teenage suicides. People expect far too much of us, and we're trying too hard for something that in the end isn't going to matter hugely.
Admittedly, quite a few people go out to drink and get drunk, but drowning sorrows is certainly a prime factor that should not be overlooked.
Mon Nov 13 09:40:23 2006
BBC Wales Southwest Webteam
Sorry to hear that you’re feeling down. Many of us do feel that way at different times in our lives - you're not alone. If you need help or would just like to speak with someone you can trust to listen in a non-judgemental way, please contact one of the organisations below for help and support.
All of these organisations provide free services and are staffed by trained professionals. The Samaritans offers their services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Good luck.
Regards,
Southwest Wales Webteam
Samaritans Tel: 08457 90 90 90 - local rates Textphone: 08457 90 91 92 E-Mail: Jo@samaritans.org Web%! 3A www.samaritans.org Open: 24 hours a day Cemotional support for people in crisis.
PAPYRUS www.papyrus-uk.org Papyrus is a voluntary organisation committed to the prevention of young suicide and the promotion of mental health and well being.
Thu Aug 24 17:20:19 2006
Dani, south wales
Having recently turned 18, this article interested me. This isn't the only reason though as I'm an alcoholic. I have been let down by the local health service, having to wait more than 6 months for an assessment with adult mental health services. I was noted as 'high risk alcohol' and 'high risk suicide' having been seriously depressed for the past 4 years.
I began drinking with friends at age 13, but I drink alone every day at home now and have done for the past 2 years.
Self-help charities are all that's on offer, leaving me to cheat the system and carry on drinking as much as I want. No wonder there are so many drink related suicides.
Thu Aug 24 17:11:24 2006
Liz from Ohio (U.S.)
This article is very interesting and informative. shocking in some areas. however i think teens will be teens and in today's society they will only learn the hard way. i am a teen, myself, and i see adolescents carelessly drink their lives, and others' lives, away everday.
Tue May 16 09:11:35 2006
Sarah
I only go out once a week so why shouldn't I go out and get sozzled just that once? I enjoy it and no matter how much bunf is thrown at me I'll still keep doing it! I'm not an alcoholic, I go to the gym and eat sensibly so I can't see anything wrong with going out and letting my hair down. Good for me or not!
Thu Mar 9 15:43:09 2006
Anon, from Liverpool
I think that this article is very informative and can also make some youths think twice about what they are doing to them selves and they're bodies.
Thu Feb 2 11:07:57 2006
Syd Maesteg.
When I was a young man boys in particular only did it to show-off, girls never. Smoking was was also a show-off. But most of the girls wouldn't go near any boy who stank of beer and fag's used to laugh at them and say" I'm dieing for a fag"
Sat Jan 28 19:21:06 2006
Anja Conti
I'm so proud that someone took it within themselves to write about binge drinking, a subject that is so often written from adults eyes. Personal experiences are usually hard to share. But this imformative, shocking story is very well written. Well done Gorden xx
Thu Dec 1 20:24:38 2005
kaylie thomas, wigan
i am 17 and i drink a lot coz theres nout else to do ! !
Mon Nov 21 12:28:10 2005
Lauren from Carmarthen
Although i agree with many of the points Gordon had mention here i also believe that at 18 we are no more responsible than we were at 16 so perhaps the age limit should be changed to 17
Sun Nov 20 19:50:19 2005
xxx from carmz
gordon bennet this article is smashing plenty of strong issues were adressed i feel fresh after reading this piece of work well done gordon morris give your self a pat on the back from me xxx again very good report
Wed Nov 16 11:37:00 2005
Sara Edwards from Carmarthen
i think that the statistics on this article are really shocking and should bring a sense of reality to underage drinkers and also young people who have recently turned 18! well dun gordz! :P
Tue Nov 8 11:16:46 2005
Lauren Kirby from Carmarthen
this article is very informative and i think it will give alot of teenagers a reality check and show the dangers of binge drinking. go you!!!
Tue Nov 8 11:15:35 2005
What's your view on the issues raised here? What do you think are the causes of binge drinking - and do you think under-age drinking is a problem where you live? Have Your Say here.
