| A recent study by the National Epidemiological Survey | | | | As young people are still experiencing physical and |
| on Alcohol and Related Conditions found that if drinking | | | | organic development, alcohol has potentially harmful |
| begins before the age of 15, the young person is four | | | | effects on brain development. Couple this with the |
| times more likely to become an alcoholic than if he | | | | results of the NIH study and you find that not only can |
| hadn't started drinking until he was 21 or older. As more | | | | drinking at an early age result in long term dependence, |
| kids turn to drinking, and turn into alcoholics as they get | | | | the dangers of alcohol on the system could result in |
| older, alcohol rehab centers could have a tough time | | | | any number of complications. If these young people |
| meeting demand. | | | | were gotten into alcohol rehab early on, it would |
| In the 1960s and 1970s, many states lowered the legal | | | | reduce the number of alcohol dependent adults, and |
| drinking age to 18 years old. A review of data since | | | | ensure healthy physical development. |
| that time reveals an increase in alcohol related traffic | | | | In March 2007, the US Surgeon General, the NIH and |
| deaths. This prompted advocacy groups to push for | | | | the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services |
| the legal drinking age to be raised again to 21 years old. | | | | Administration (SAMHSA) released the Call to Action |
| By the mid to late 1980s, all states had adopted the | | | | to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking. The Call |
| same legal drinking age and alcohol related traffic | | | | focuses on mobilizing parents, schools, communities |
| fatalities dropped. | | | | and young people to work together to reduce the |
| Nevertheless, alcohol is still used more than tobacco or | | | | problem and helping people gain an understanding of |
| drugs. According to a 2005 study conducted by the | | | | the potential developmental damage from underage |
| National Institutes of Health (NIH), 75% of 12th graders | | | | drinking. The Call To Action also hopes to continue |
| had tried alcohol and 87% of underage college | | | | research on this vital subject. |
| students had tried it. Unfortunately, approximately 5000 | | | | If we are to truly confront this problem, an increase in |
| young people die every year from causes related to | | | | education of young people on the effects of alcohol is |
| underage drinking: Though injury is the leading cause of | | | | a must. To continue to address the effects of |
| death for people under 21, alcohol is a factor in many | | | | alcoholism as a whole, the availability of an effective |
| of these injuries. | | | | alcohol rehab program must be made a priority. |