Dangers of Teen Drinking
Teens don't just drink. They drink to excess.
More than 7 percent of eighth graders, 16 percent of sophomores, and 23 percent of seniors report recent binge drinking (5+ drinks on the same occasion).
Statistics show that the majority of current teen drinkers got drunk in the previous month. That includes 50 percent of the high school sophomores who drink and 65 percent of the high school seniors who drink.
Underage drinking is linked to injury and risky behavior.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, about 5,000 kids under 21 die every year as a result of underage drinking – from crashes, homicides, and suicides. Teens that drink also are at risk for a long list of other injuries and potential life-long alcohol abuse. Reducing underage drinking can reduce drinking-related harm.
Brain Development and Alcohol Abuse
- Research indicates that the human brain continues to develop into a person's early 20's, and that exposure of the developing brain to alcohol may have long-lasting effects on intellectual capabilities and may increase the likelihood of alcohol addiction.
- The age when drinking starts affects future drinking problems. For each year that the start of drinking is delayed, the risk of later alcohol dependence is reduced by 14 percent.
Drinking and Driving
- Car crashes are the leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 20. About 1,900 people under 21 die every year from car crashes involving underage drinking.
- Young people are more susceptible to alcohol-induced impairment of their driving skills. Drinking drivers aged 16 to 20 are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash as drinking drivers who are 21 or older.
Suicide
- Alcohol use interacts with conditions like depression and stress, and contributes to an estimated 300 teen suicides a year.
- High school students who drink are twice as likely to have seriously considered attempting suicide, as compared to nondrinkers. High school students who binge drink are four times as likely to have attempted suicide, as compared to nondrinkers.
Sexual Behavior
- Current teen drinkers are more than twice as likely to have had sexual intercourse within the past three months than teens who don't drink.
- Higher drinking levels increase the likelihood of sexual activity.
- Adolescents who drink are more likely to engage in risky sexual activities, like having sex with someone they don't know or failing to use birth control.
Other Risks
- Teens who drink alcohol are more likely than nondrinkers to smoke marijuana, use inhalants, or carry a weapon.
- Binge drinking substantially increases the likelihood of these activities.
Academic Performance
- A government study published in 2007 shows a relationship between binge drinking and grades. Approximately two-thirds of students with “mostly A’s” are non-drinkers, while nearly half of the students with “mostly D’s and F’s” report binge drinking. It is not clear, however, whether academic failure leads to drinking, or vice versa.
For further information on the risks of underage alcohol use, visit the Surgeon General’s 2007 Call to Action.
Don't serve alcohol to teens.
It's unsafe. It's illegal. It's irresponsible.