25 Point Question-
Essay question: Analyse the prevalence of alcohol use and death among teenagers in Australia. Using data to support your response, justify how prevalent alcohol use is among Australian teenagers and the effect it can have on you, your family and the wider community (physically, socially and emotionally).
An estimated 90% of Australian teenagers over the age of 14 have tried alcohol, with further estimates suggesting that at least half of all teens over 14 are drinking on a weekly basis, with 8% drinking on a daily basis. (http://vibewire.org/2012/04/teen-alcohol-abuse-the-facts/) Alcohol causes most drug-related deaths in the teenage population. When you consider the way that alcohol is marketed or talked about, it is difficult to recognise it as a harmful substance but over drinking can cause serious damage to your body and create long term health problems, especially for teenagers.
Alcohol use is extremely prevalent in our society. Underage drinking is a huge problem which everyone faces. It not only has devastating effects on those who drink but also on our society and people around those who drink. "Young people illegally consume almost 3.6 billion drinks annually which is 10 million drinks each day."(http://www.cspinet.org/booze/alcyouth.html)
Alcohol consumption can cause serious physical, social and emotional problems such as memory loss, abuse of other drugs, changes in brain development which may have long-life effects, death from alcohol poisoning, poor or failing grades, higher school absence, illnesses, physical and sexual assault, depression, extreme mood swings and serious aggression. (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Alcohol_and_teenagers, http://vibewire.org/2012/04/teen-alcohol-abuse-the-facts/) Drinking alcohol does not only effect whoever drinks it, it also has an effect on the people that are around them.
Alcohol use is extremely prevalent in our society. Underage drinking is a huge problem which everyone faces. It not only has devastating effects on those who drink but also on our society and people around those who drink. "Young people illegally consume almost 3.6 billion drinks annually which is 10 million drinks each day."(http://www.cspinet.org/booze/alcyouth.html)
Alcohol consumption can cause serious physical, social and emotional problems such as memory loss, abuse of other drugs, changes in brain development which may have long-life effects, death from alcohol poisoning, poor or failing grades, higher school absence, illnesses, physical and sexual assault, depression, extreme mood swings and serious aggression. (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Alcohol_and_teenagers, http://vibewire.org/2012/04/teen-alcohol-abuse-the-facts/) Drinking alcohol does not only effect whoever drinks it, it also has an effect on the people that are around them.
There are a number of reasons why teenagers feel the urge to drink. Social environment, peer influence, stresses, and even factors such as media influence contribute to underage drinking. Studies now show that one in eight deaths of Australians aged under 25 is now related to alcohol consumption and one in five hospitalisations of people under 25 are also due to alcohol, as Dr John Harron says, “the level of alcohol-related damage occurring in our community is appalling.” (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-20/alcohol-to-blame-for-one-in-eight-deaths---report/5102594)
In conclusion, the high numbers of teenagers drinking in this generation is astounding and frightening. The effects that it has not only on the person drinking the alcohol but their family and even the society are abhorrent. Australia needs to stop advertising alcohol and authorizing teenagers to think that it is a safe and harmless substance when really it can cause severe health problems when they grow older. Things need to change if we want Australia to be a safe place for our children to live in.
In conclusion, the high numbers of teenagers drinking in this generation is astounding and frightening. The effects that it has not only on the person drinking the alcohol but their family and even the society are abhorrent. Australia needs to stop advertising alcohol and authorizing teenagers to think that it is a safe and harmless substance when really it can cause severe health problems when they grow older. Things need to change if we want Australia to be a safe place for our children to live in.