Alcohol
Stats:
- Alcohol is the easiest drug to obtain.
- # 1 substance used by 8th graders.
- First used: 12-14yrs.
- 98 of them started drinking before age 21
- 80 of them started drinking before age 18
Arizona Students & Underage Drinking
- 24% of 8th graders
- 39% of 10th graders
- 47% of 12th graders Reported drinking within the last 30 days
AZ youth survey 2008
This is considered the easy drug for adolescents to obtain. If used before the age of 15 they are 400% more likely to become an alcoholic. Leading cause of death among 16yr olds (alcohol related deaths).
The Law
Illegal to possess or use under 21
47% of Arizona adults believe it’s okay for youth to drink alcohol under parental supervision.
Minors in possession of alcohol will be arrested, have a criminal record, pay a court fine, and in some cases their license can be suspended until age 18.
Parents who voluntarily supply alcohol to their teens can be arrested for "contributing to the delinquency of a child "which is a misdemeanor and punishable by up to 6 months in jail. In some cases it can also be classified as child abuse.
Even if you are not at home and kids have access to your alcohol you are liable and can face criminal charges. Locking up your alcohol can help prevent this from occurring.
Forty-seven percent of parents STILL choose to serve their underage kids. Is it worth going to jail just to appear "COOL" to your kids and their friends?
Effects:
A recent study from California researchers found that teen drinkers suffer nerve damage in their brain. They compared the brains of teen drinkers to non-drinkers and found that young alcohol users suffered damage to nerve tissue that could cause attention deficit among boys and faulty visual information processing among girls. Adolescent brains are still developing until they are in their mid 20's, adding any chemical that is not prescribed can alter the outcome of their brain development.
Additional health problems young drinkers can develop later in life include heart disease, stroke, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
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