The average age of girls taking a drink for the first time is 13 while for boys it is 11. Early drinking is widespread and has become a serious problem for the United States and other countries.

Senior Rhys Low said, “Many of the teenagers and friends I know have already started drinking alcohol recreationally at parties and with their friends. Nowadays, it is rare to find teenagers who haven’t tried alcohol yet.”

People who begin drinking at a young age are more likely to be victims of violent crime, involved in alcohol-related traffic accidents, and suffer depression and anxiety.

In the U.S., underage drinkers are those below the minimum legal drinking age of 21. Alcohol abuse studies have linked people who start using alcohol before age 21 to violent behaviors, attempted suicides, unprotected sex, multiple sex partners and alcohol problems later in life.

Junior Ye Eun Lee said, “Drinking alcohol is such a dangerous hobby, but young people, as well as adults, do not take it seriously. People die from car accidents due to drunk driving and alcohol poisoning every day, but they continue to make wrong decisions. I believe people should be more aware of the severity and risk of their actions.”

Underage drinkers often don’t realize the damaging effects alcohol can have on their lives, their families and their communities. Although young people drink less often than adults, when they do drink, they drink more. On average, underage drinkers consume about five or more drinks on a single occasion, often in binge drinking.

The risks of underage drinking are death, serious injury, impaired judgment, brain development problems, and increased risk of physical and sexual assaults.

Although not always true, many adults become more responsible with age which is why the legal drinking age is 21. Before 21, the brain is considered not fully developed and therefore the restrictions on alcohol consumption.

Warning signs of underage drinkers include academic or behavioral problems, changing groups of friends, less interest in activities or physical appearance, slurred speech, memory or concentration problems and coordination problems.

Spanish teacher Sean Rist said, “ Alcohol is a dangerous substance which can impair one’s judgment and has serious consequences. Underage drinking is a problem that we see every day but turn a blind eye to. Students should be informed of consequences of alcohol abuse. Deaths and injury due to alcohol is preventable.”