Underage drinking has become an extremely serious issue in our society today. The question that I ask myself is, how can we stop it? This problem doesn't only occur in large cities, but it also happens and even seems to thrive in small towns all across America. Every day teenagers die because of this terrible epidemic, often at the hands of their own friends. As a community we need to find some solutions to this problem before more lives are taken. I understand that this process will take some time, but I am willing to help put an end to it.

The laws regarding the drinking age have been controversial for a number of years. The history of the legal drinking age can be traced all the way back to the time of Prohibition. After Prohibition, almost all states restricting youth access to alcohol designated age twenty-one as the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA). Between 1970 and 1975, however, 29 states lowered the MLDA to eighteen, nineteen, or twenty. These changes happened at the same time in which the minimum ages for other activities, such as voting were being lowered as well. Then, with evidence that a lower drinking age could result in more traffic related injuries and even deat

I could sit down and talk all day about the tragic consequences of underage drinking, but I am more interested in trying to find a way to prevent it. One very important factor in the prevention of underage drinking is the role of the parents. Teens get their morals from their parents and they model their behavior. If a teen always watches their parents drink, they may begin to believe that drinking is the normal thing to do. Parents need to let their children know at an early age that alcohol is very dangerous and it is something that they should not mess around with. More parents are worried about their child doing illegal drugs, but they need to realize that alcohol is equally harmful not only to their child, but other people as well. All too often, alcohol is considered a normal part of American culture. What kind of a message does this send to our teenage kids? If people have parties they often consume large amounts of alcohol in front of their children, sending a message to their kids that drinking is fun and everybody does it. I can remember times in high school when certain teenagers were ridiculed because they wouldn't drink. Our culture perceives alcohol as a "macho" thing for males. What kind of society has that kind of a value system? Although alcohol and illegal drug use are dangerously similar in many ways, alcohol abuse is unique because liquor consumption is not only legal for adults, but also encouraged by our social attitudes(Maxwell 97). Parents need to realize that alcohol is extremely dangerous, even though many people may not see it that way. Parents must be strict with their children and punish them if they are caught drinking, instead of just letting them go because alcohol is not a very serious thing. Some parents feel a sense of relief that it is "only alcohol" and not a "real drug" that their child is using(Haskins 41). Thinking along these lines sends a message to their children that it is acceptable for them to drink alcohol. The reality is that there is an undeniable link between drinking and high-risk behaviors that leads to health, safety, and social problems affecting youth. These may include poor academic performance and school failure, assaults, car crashes, accidents, violence, and suicide, as well as early and unprotected sex(Haskins 77). With all of these terrible things that can result from alcohol consumption, how can parents allow their children to get away with this? Some parents even go as far as allowing their kids to have parties in their home(Haskins 41). These parents not only put their own children at risk, but other children as well. If something would happen to one of these adolescents at a party that the parents threw the parents would have a major lawsuit on their hands, not to mention a guilty conscience to live with for the rest of their life. The parents need to realize that they have the greatest influence and they can make a difference in their child's life("Preventing Underage Drinking"). These parents can make a difference by being strict, and setting a good example for their children. It also helps if a parent checks in on their child and shows them that they care about them.

In conclusion, I believe that this epidemic of underage drinking has grown out of control. This problem is something that will not disappear over night; it is going to take a lot of time and a lot of hard work by a lot of people. I realize that this problem will never be completely solved, but with some hard work, it can be reduced. The problem can be fixed starting with the parents setting a good example for their children. This may sound like a very minor thing, but the little things that we do can go a long way in solving this terrible problem. We must set standards for our teens and be firm when we enforce them. The media must also do a better job of showing the dangers of consuming alcohol, instead of just showing the fun times that you can have with alcoh

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Approximate Word count = 2728
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)