Adolescent Drinking
In a Social Context
16 April 2008
Adolescent Drinking
In a Social Context
Adolescent drinking has been a worldwide problem for decades. Although this trend has not increased there is no sign of a significant decrease either. A survey performed by ESPAD, The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs, showed that in 2003 90% or more of the teenagers interviewed in 35 countries had been drinking at least once. In United States “approximately 5000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking” each year (“Underage”). And when Barrett Seaman visited Harvard University to research his book “Binge” in 2005, close to 70 students were admitted for alcohol poisoning by Thanksgiving break.( Seaman 1) This makes it safe to assume that few understand exactly why teenagers drink alcohol, and moreover how to prevent it.
In order to fully understand why adolescents drink it is necessary to look at a number of different factors. The most important factors can broadly be divided into environmental-and social influences, psychological-and genetic reasons and influence of outside sources such as advertising and TV. This paper focuses on surveys and expert opinions as well as opinions of drinking teenagers themselves. I consider the environment surrounding an adolescent to be the most influential element of why teenagers drink. I will therefore discuss how family, peers, society and culture influence a teenager’s choice to drink alcohol.
Personal Environment
When discussing personal environment it is most important to look at parents and peers. How influential parents are in this context is somewhat disputed. However, it is safe to assume that in many cases parents do affect their children’s choice to drink. This assumption is not only based on the fact that parents are largely responsible for shaping their children’s’ attitudes and behaviors, but it is also statistically verified....