Risks of Teenage Drinking
The risks that are associated with teen drinking extend beyond the fact that it's illegal to consume alcohol for anyone under the age of 21. Statistics clearly show (see Resources) that underage drinking is dangerous to teens' mental and physical health, as well as their social development.
Other People Are Reading
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Grades
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DontServeTeens.gov reports that a 2007 government study showed a correlation between binge drinking and students whose grades averaged D's and F's.
Developmental Damage
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A 2006 "New York Times" article revealed that heavy drinking during the teens can damage the brain, which is still developing. One area that's affected is the hippocampus, a brain center that's integral to learning.
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Binging
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Teens often engage in binge drinking---consuming four or five drinks in one sitting---because they have a higher tolerance for alcohol than adults; this can start them on the road to alcoholism.
Sexuality
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Teens who drink take more risks in regards to sex, like not using contraception or having sex with someone they normally would not be intimate with.
Suicide
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DontServeTeens.gov points out that approximately 300 teen suicides per year are related to drinking, and teens who abstain from drinking are less likely to consider suicide than those who drink.
Mortality
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that around 5,000 underage drinkers die annually from alcohol-related incidents like car accidents, fires and drowning.
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