Underage Drinking in the United States ages 12 to 20 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIAAA
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Keep an open conversation with them so they feel comfortable coming to you with questions or concerns. One reason teens may be less affected by alcohol sedation is due to having less GABA in their frontal lobe, which could promote binge drinking to get the desired effect from alcohol. A combination of low GABA and binge drinking also sets up teens for greater risk-taking, which can lead them into dangerous and sometimes fatal situations that their still-maturing brains do not always recognize as dangerous.
Drinking problems affect families all over the world from every different background. In a recent editorial in The BMJ, a trio of scientists pointed out that there are three periods in life when the brain goes through major changes dangers of teenage drinking and is particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. When pregnant women drink alcohol, it can damage the developing brain of the fetus, leading to physical problems, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems.
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Wechsler et al. (2002) report that about 11 percent
of college students admitted to having damaged property while
drinking. The cost of these behaviors is picked up by the
college or by the local communities if the vandalism happens off
campus. If you think you have a drinking problem, get help as soon as possible. If you can’t approach your parents, talk to your doctor, school counselor, clergy member, aunt, or uncle. It can be hard for some people to talk to adults about these issues, but a supportive person in a position to help can refer students to a drug and alcohol counselor for evaluation and treatment. Ask open-ended questions, such as why your child is interested in drinking.
The committee has
carefully considered the evidence on this important issue—the extent
to which early drinking causes later drinking problems, reduces
them, or has no effect at all. Clearly predisposition and early
alcohol use interact, and the effect of alcohol varies according to
the degree of vulnerability of different individuals. However,
notwithstanding the complexity of the inquiry, the committee
concludes that the evidence establishes a prima facie case regarding
the negative effects of early drinking on long-term welfare.
The Science Behind the Effects of Alcohol on the Adolescent Brain
In contrast, when administered alcohol before a memory test, adolescents are significantly impaired, whereas adults remain intact. GABA levels were even lower in those who had experienced an alcohol-induced blackout. However, additional research to further refine
understanding of the interaction of the multiple interrelated
factors on long-term outcomes is warranted. Vandalism and property damage represent yet another set of
consequences influenced by alcohol. Intoxicated youth are more
likely to commit these acts regardless of their age, but
vandalism and property damage are a particular problem on
college campuses.
In adult humans, these impairing effects of alcohol serve as internal cues that tell them they have had enough to drink. Teens, however, are significantly less affected by sleepiness and loss of motor control, and so they end up binge drinking and achieving higher blood alcohol levels. Underage drivers are more susceptible than adults to the alcohol-induced impairment of driving skills. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 21-year-old minimum drinking age laws have reduced alcohol traffic fatalities by 13 percent and have saved an estimated 28,765 lives since 1975. Still, about 1155 persons under 21 die every year in car crashes involving underage drinking. When your teen abuses alcohol, it’s easy to judge yourself or negatively compare your family to others.