Should parents let their teenagers to drink but teach them how to drink responsibly?

Should parents let their teenagers to drink but teach them how to drink responsibly?

Introduction

Underage drinking is one of the leading concerns in the country and is regarded as a serious health problem. It can affect not only the person drinking but also other people. It can result in aggressive behavior, property damage, injuries, violence and deaths (pubs.niaaa.nih.gov). In this regard, the role of parents is a significant one and they can help prevent their children from indulging in drinking at such an early age. Drinking among teenagers might seem inevitable and it can be argued that parents can only teach them how to drink responsibly while in contrast there is much beyond this that they can do to prevent their child from indulging in drinking.

Discussion

Statistics indicate that the by the age of 15 more than 50% of teens have had their first taste of alcohol and by the age of 18 the percentage increases to more than 70%. It is also revealed that youth between the age of 12 and 20 are the consumers of 11% of the alcohol consumed in US.

Underage drinking poses a range of risks and tends to have negative consequences of which death tops the list. Thousands of people die as a result of these drinking of teenagers mainly due to crashes or road accidents or from homicides or suicides or sometimes because of alcohol poisoning. Not only this, but alcohol related injuries are also commonly reported. Apart from that drinking can make the person lose their sense of judgment and they might indulge in risky activities such as in a sexual activity or it can also increase the risk of them becoming a victim of physical or sexual assault. It increases their dependence on alcohol later in their lives which can lead to serious health related problems. Moreover, studies have revealed that alcohol can alter the development of the brain thereby affecting its function causing learning problems.

With all the risks and such negative consequences associated with it, it is essential to know about the reasons that lead them to take up drinking. There have been a lot of studies that explore the reasons surrounding the drinking of alcohol by young people. These include mainly peer pressure, increased independence or their desire to be independent and stress. It is also asserted that when teenagers reach this age they tend to seek new challenges and try to take risks and this is one of the risks that they take without realizing the effects that it might have on their health and on others.

This rising trend of underage drinking is also because of easy access to alcohol around them. They might find it in their homes, through their family members or friends. In this regard, many people can play an active role in shaping the attitudes of teenagers towards drinking. Parents and teachers can play the biggest role in this direction especially ...