Underage Drinking Overview

Underage drinking continues to remain very prominent to many teenagers lives. It has been a public heath issue for many years. This is why in most States they increased the drinking age from eighteen to twenty-one because so many young adults were getting severely hurt or killed. Now that the age of drinking is twenty-one the accidents have decreased over the years. But their still are many minors drinking while underage and that has become a huge problem. It has increased in many different areas such as fatalities from motor motor vehicle crashes, impairs decision making and memory, increases the risk of dependence in childhood, and can result in significant health risks to the still developing brain. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism an estimated 50 percent of minors have had at least one drink before eighth grade and roughly 20 percent have said they have been drunk. This can cause serious problems down the road such as death from motor vehicle crashes, unintentional injuries, binge drinking, homicides, and suicides. There are many penalties that can occur if a minor is caught these include fines, arrest, and court costs.