Underage Drinking In The United States

Too many teens drink and on average, they drink too much. Underage drinking has become a major problem in the United States.
First of all, statistics show that more than ten million drinkers in the US are between the ages of twelve and twenty, and of these twenty percent engage in binge drinking and six percent are heavy drinkers.(Young People and Alcohol,)

Next, statistics also show that there are roughly 3.3 million teens that have drinking problems also, one-fourth of all seventh through twelfth graders admit to consuming alcohol at least once a week. Alcohol is the most common illegal substance used by high school seniors. For an example, eighty-seven percent have used alcohol, in comparison sixty-three percent have smoked cigarettes, and thirty-two percent have smoked marijuana, and six percent have used cocaine.
There are several reasons why people start drinking. first of all, and most heard is peer pressure. Teens sometimes feel the need to fit in and want to impress their peers. In a way, this is similar to an adult constantly practicing/playing golf so he/she can impress their boss or co-workers at the golf tournament. Next, are stress, anxiety, depression, and family problems. Family problems include things such as divorce or even parents constantly arguing with one another or siblings. With each of these, the teenager could be trying to fight the pain, or “escape reality” in which they turn to alchohol, know that it makes them feel differently, and sometimes happier. Another reason that teens start drinking is low self-esteem. Alchohol efects the brain so when it is drank, people tend to loosen up and be more sociable and while drinking they will have more confidence and talk to people that they never would have talked to before, do things that they never would have attempted to do with out