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Background Information about Teen Alcohol Use. Introduction This teacher resource looks at some research about teen alcohol consumption.

Background Information about Teen Alcohol Use

Alcohol consumption is widespread among preteens and teens. According to one national survey, one in four eighth graders reports drinking alcohol within the past month and 18% of eighth graders have gotten drunk at least once in the past year (Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child about Alcohol, Rockville, MD, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2000). A recent survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service’s National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that about 28% of young people between the ages of 12 and 20 said that they had had a drink in the last month, more than 18% of young people in that age group said that they were binge drinkers (meaning that they had five or more drinks in one sitting), and 6% said that they were heavy drinkers (Who’s Using Alcohol.

Family Guide, Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug Free. Alcohol - Parents. The Anti-Drug. Kids and Alcohol. DrugAlcohol-Overview-PDF.pdf (application/pdf Object) Dealing With Addiction. Listen Jason's life is beginning to unravel.

Dealing With Addiction

His grades have slipped, he's moody, he doesn't talk to his friends, and he has stopped showing up for practice. Jason's friends know he has been experimenting with drugs and now they're worried he has become addicted. Defining an addiction is tricky, and knowing how to handle one is even harder. Underage Drinking. Alcohol is the most widely abused substance among America's youth.

Underage Drinking

Drinking by young people has big health and safety risks. It is dangerous because it Causes many deaths and injuriesCan lead to poor decisions about engaging in risky behavior, such as drinking and driving or unprotected sexIncreases the risk of physical and sexual assaultCan lead to other problems, such as trouble in schoolMay interfere with brain developmentIncreases the risk of alcohol problems later in life Kids often begin drinking to look "cool" or fit in with their peers. Drug, Alcohol Abuse Common Among U.S. Teens, Study Finds - healthfinder.gov. SR096EDHighlights2010.pdf (application/pdf Object) Alcohol Abuse. This Emotional Life. Myths About Alcohol Teenage Adolescent Alcoholism.

Teens and Alcohol. By Teen Drug Abuse Staff There have been many studies conducted on the health effects of both short-term and long-term use of alcohol among adults.

Teens and Alcohol

Long-term risks inlcude liver damage, pancreatitis, certain cancers, and literal shrinkage of the brain. Alcohol use is the second leading cause of dementia; one simple ages quicker on alcohol. (3) But professionals today are worried about a steady increase in teen alcohol abuse and the possible negative health effects. According to an article published by the British Medical Association (BMA) entitled: “Alcohol and Young People”, “…there was a general rise in the proportion of 11 to 15 year-olds who drink alcohol regularly, but also there is an increase in the amount they are drinking on each occasion.” Adolescence is a transition time when the body is undergoing many significant changes, such as hormonal alterations and brain development.

According to information issued from the U. Teen Drug Abuse - Teenage Alcohol Abuse - Addiction Treatment. About Teen Alcohol Abuse. More than 5,000 deaths of people under the age of 21 are linked to alcohol every year, according to Focus Adolescent Services.

About Teen Alcohol Abuse

And the three leading causes of deaths among 15- to 24-year-olds are car crashes, homicides and suicides, with alcohol playing a lead role in all three. These statistics tell only part of a story that parents and caregivers need to pay closer attention to. Teens who are children of alcoholics are four times more likely to become alcoholics themselves, as stated by Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Help. Parents need to present a good example for their teens if they want the best possible life for their teens. Peer pressure can be a powerful tool when it comes to coercing a teen to partake in an alcoholic beverage. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, teens who are depressed are at a greater risk for developing a dependency on alcohol than other teens who experiment. Teenage alcoholism also affects the brain. HealthyNJ Information for Healthy Living. Focus Adolescent Services: Alcohol and Teen Drinking. Alcohol Abuse: Help, Support, Advocacy, Research Drugs & Teen Substance Abuse How You Can Help Your Addicted Teen A child who reaches age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol or using drugs is virtually certain never to do so. - Joseph A.

Focus Adolescent Services: Alcohol and Teen Drinking

Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are not only adult problems — they also affect a significant number of adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 20, even though drinking under the age of 21 is illegal. While drinking may be a singular problem behavior for some, research suggests that for others it may be an expression of general adolescent turmoil that includes other problem behaviors and that these behaviors are linked to unconventionality, impulsiveness, and sensation-seeking. The average age when youth first try alcohol is 11 years for boys and 13 years for girls.

By age 14, 41 percent of children have had least one drink. The average age at which Americans begin drinking regularly is 15.9 years old. U.S. Drinking Age Debate - Teen Alcohol Addiction. Alcohol, Peer Pressure, Teenage Underage Drinking. Dangers of Teen Drinking.