Drinking to feel cool! (Part II)
A recent report by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (Youth Exposure to 
Alcohol Advertising on Television and in National Magazines, 2001 to 2006; December 19, 2007) brings out the following statistics:
Alcohol use is the number-one drug problem among youth. More students in grades 8, 10 and 12 drink alcohol than smoke cigarettes or use illegal drugs. “Alcohol use remains extremely widespread among today’s teenagers. Nearly three quarters of students (72 percent) have consumed alcohol (more than just a few sips) by the end of high school; and about two fifths (39 percent) have done so by 8th grade…. Nearly a fifth (18 percent) of the 8th graders in 2007 report having been drunk at least once in their life” (Overview of Key Findings, 2007, NIH Publication 08-6418, p. 9)
Binge drinking among young people remains a major problem, despite significant efforts to reduce youth access to alcohol. In 2006, 7.2 million youth under age 21 reported binge drinking (defined as consuming five or more drinks within two hours) within the past month.
The earlier young people start drinking, the worse the consequences. People who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to suffer alcohol-related problems than those who wait until 21 to drink. Those who drink heavily in adolescence and early adulthood are more likely to develop a metabolic profile that puts them at greater risk of cardiovascular problems later in life, whether or not they continue drinking.
The U.S. Surgeon General estimates that approximately a countless number of people worldwide, under age 21, die each year from alcohol-related injuries involving underage drinking. Another report, by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, found that “research also shows that early initiation of alcohol use is associated with higher likelihood of involvement in violent behaviors, suicide attempts, unprotected sexual intercourse, and multiple sex partners.” (Quantity and Frequency of Alcohol Use Among Underage Drinkers, March 31, 2008). As the Bible revealed long ago, there is a right way and a wrong way to use alcohol. Modern society encourages alcohol abuse when it shows young people a glamorized image of alcohol consumption, hoping to instill at an early age wrong attitudes, which will develop into bad habits that will last for a drinker’s whole life. As the above statistics show, this leads to dangerous consequences.
Think About It!
Marketers do not want you to think about your attitude toward alcohol. They want you to accept the popular images they offer—to take for granted that when you drink, you are participating in a world of glamour and fun, where drinking makes you more popular and fun to be around. But you are smarter than that. You can recognize that your view of alcohol has been shaped by many influences around you—some of which do not have your best interest at heart. Remember, it is up to you how you use your mind and your life. The choices you make about alcohol will greatly affect your future and the people you love. It is up to you to rise above the influences around you, and to lay a solid foundation of responsibility and maturity that will serve you well for the rest of your life.