What's wrong with underage drinking?

Question

Aside from breaking the law, why do many people consider teenage drinking to be wrong or immoral? If someone asked you why you thought it was so wrong to "do what every teenager does" or to "just have a little fun while I'm young" how would you respond? And what approaches would you suggest to discourage this kind of behavior?

I welcome responses from both sides but please no disparaging or personally offensive remarks about other respondents or their answers.

I am clean by the way.

Answer 1

I WOULD TELL THEM:

1. you are too young to go out and possibly get drunk, possibly drive home in a vehicle, and possibly crash from not being focused on the road due to drinking too much.

2. TO STOP THIS BEHAVIOR:

i would either get help from their parents since they are underaged or get them a counselor... perhaps, sit em down yourself ( but i wouldn't suggest that )

i am happy YOU'RE clean!

XOXO

Answer 2

well personally as long as you're smart about it there isn't a problem but the problem is a lot of teens aren't && do stupid stuff like drink and drive and then some ppl end up losing their lives over that stuff. but honestly if it were legal it wouldnt be as big of a problem. half the fun is doing somethin you know you're not supposed to && it wud be better if we cud jus say "mom im drunk i cant drive home right now" instead of us gettin in the car and driving becus we have to be home && we cant let our parents know we're drunk or w/e. thus far ive been responsible when i drink and ive never driven after drinkin at a party but i know wayyy too many ppl that do

Answer 3

Physically, it has been proven that if a person's body is still growing, it is much more 'susceptable' or 'impressable' by exposure to substances.  A child exposed for instance to coal dust for x years will be dramatically more affected than an adult exposed for the same number of years.

Exposure to the drug ethyl alcohol is similar.  Someone exposed at a young age is far more likely to become an alcoholic later in life than if they didn't partake until they reached physical maturity (when the body ceases 'growing' and switches over to simple cellular replacement and maintenance).

Answer 4

I dunno- you are old enough to serve your country at 18 and die at war, you can also own a gun at this same age as far as i know, and you can drive at 16, but no drinking until 21? I don't know why that is. I think that if the drinking age were lowered to 18 or 19, there would also be less temptation to drink at a young age, and the issues involving alcohol consumption among the youth would likely subside. Go figure- the U.S. has a lot of issues about this sort of stuff, and not too much of it makes a whole lot of sense.

Answer 5

I don't really think it is okay, but everyone does it! Your brain isn't fully developed till the time you are 25, so drinking has an impact on that. As long as it does not effect your school work or relationships with people, I don't mind. It's pot and other drugs I have the problem with. If you were to have something against every teen that drinks, you'd have no friends!

Answer 6

Trust me, I drank my fair share when I was underage, and I can say from experience that it's a bad idea. Alcohol interferes with your ability to comprehend right/wrong. I did dome stuff I would DEFINITELY never have done sober!! If you ever say WTF did I do last night, then you know it must have been bad!

Answer 7

Young people's judgement isn't developed completely yet as

far as how much they can drink and how it will affect them, and

what they should do while drinking.

A very great deal of date rape, drunk driving fatal accidents,

alcohol poisoning, intake of other drugs, teen pregnancy,

and fights leading to injury.....all occur when underage people

have consumed alcohol. No, not all of them. I'm not saying

adults can't act the fool on alcohol too. I'm just saying that

impaired judgement is one of the side affects that deeply

concerns me.

Answer 8

Teenagers are just experiencing life. They need to be more mature before drinking.Alcohol breaks down barriers and peoples  inhibitions . In fact at my age, near 50, I know people who shouldn't"t be drinking cause of the way they act.  

Answer 9

I don't think anything's wrong with it.  It actually teaches you to drink responsibly.  I'm 15 ad my mom lets me have a lamp of wine or a wine cooler once in a while.  That way if you go somewhere, you won't be temped to drink because you know what it tastes like.  In my opnion it shouldn't be discouraed but that's what I think.  As long as you're with a parent or someting.