The Drama of Binge Drinking
May 30th 2008 02:11
By Freya Parrotte
Just how many more teenage lives will be affected by alcohol? That is the question asked by many readers. Every week ten percent of teenagers binge drink. They start off just having one or two, here or there and it begins to become an addiction. Teenagers are hooked into staying out late and partying on Friday and Saturday nights by friends and school mates who believe it’s the ‘cool thing to do.’ Stacey Howard is a local school student who has dealt first hand with the pressures of peer pressure. “You hear other kids at school talking about drinking and it makes me feel like I should drink too.”
Many teenagers do not realise the effects binge drinking is having on them socially, physically and financially. Alcohol can ruin their relationships with friends and family, as well as adding to their likelihood of getting throat and stomach cancer, pregnant at a young age and being raped. The cost of alcohol can be financially draining on young teenagers. Thankfully the government has realised this; by adding $1 dollar to the cost of cruisers and other related alcoholic drinks they can hopefully control teenage drinking.
It is a known fact that fifty percent of 16 year olds drink at levels harmful to them. Alcohol is the most widely used recreational drug in Australia, so it’s no wonder that our society is struggling. John Rogerson from the Australian Drug Foundation said alcohol has, “become a major part of sporting culture, and needs to be addressed…the issue [is] that alcohol is far worse than illicit drugs..." Many teenagers are involved in sport or a local sporting club. Nation wide thousands teenagers are involved in sporting clubs. The culture at some sporting clubs implies that it is healthy for teenagers to drink heavily. The Australian government has finally recognized that our country is in the midst of a binge drinking epidemic and put $53 million towards a campaign against binge drinking.
Not all teenagers are binge drinkers. There are many youths out there that are sensible when it comes to alcohol. It is a known statistic that ninety percent of 14 year olds don’t binge drink. This statistic shows that many younger teenagers think it’s unnecessary to binge drink.
Do teenagers really think it’s necessary to stay out late in pubs and clubs? With many clubs open until 4 or 5 am in the morning teenagers are encouraged to drink for 6 or 7 hours straight. Drinking excessive amounts in short periods of time can be harmful to teenage bodies. One 19-year-old estimated, "I'll end up having 17, 18 beers." The next day this teenager probably won’t remember anything from the night before. As a result of his binge drinking he could have been involved in a fatal car crash and injured himself or others. While highly intoxicated this youth could have been killed.
Do teenage binge drinkers realize the effect their binge drinking is having on others? Paramedics are left to treat drunk and disorderly patients while they could be helping people in greater need. Trauma doctors are left to put them back together, after they have been involved in a high speed car crash while over the legal limit. The innocent occupants from the crash may be left with debilitating brain injuries or worse, never regain consciousness. While they lay comatosed in hospital their worried family members are left to wonder if they’ll ever walk again. The Australian Government can only do so much to prevent binge drinking. After all, it’s your decision to binge drink and nobody can stop you. You can only stop yourself.
Just how many more teenage lives will be affected by alcohol? That is the question asked by many readers. Every week ten percent of teenagers binge drink. They start off just having one or two, here or there and it begins to become an addiction. Teenagers are hooked into staying out late and partying on Friday and Saturday nights by friends and school mates who believe it’s the ‘cool thing to do.’ Stacey Howard is a local school student who has dealt first hand with the pressures of peer pressure. “You hear other kids at school talking about drinking and it makes me feel like I should drink too.”
It is a known fact that fifty percent of 16 year olds drink at levels harmful to them. Alcohol is the most widely used recreational drug in Australia, so it’s no wonder that our society is struggling. John Rogerson from the Australian Drug Foundation said alcohol has, “become a major part of sporting culture, and needs to be addressed…the issue [is] that alcohol is far worse than illicit drugs..." Many teenagers are involved in sport or a local sporting club. Nation wide thousands teenagers are involved in sporting clubs. The culture at some sporting clubs implies that it is healthy for teenagers to drink heavily. The Australian government has finally recognized that our country is in the midst of a binge drinking epidemic and put $53 million towards a campaign against binge drinking.
Not all teenagers are binge drinkers. There are many youths out there that are sensible when it comes to alcohol. It is a known statistic that ninety percent of 14 year olds don’t binge drink. This statistic shows that many younger teenagers think it’s unnecessary to binge drink.
Do teenagers really think it’s necessary to stay out late in pubs and clubs? With many clubs open until 4 or 5 am in the morning teenagers are encouraged to drink for 6 or 7 hours straight. Drinking excessive amounts in short periods of time can be harmful to teenage bodies. One 19-year-old estimated, "I'll end up having 17, 18 beers." The next day this teenager probably won’t remember anything from the night before. As a result of his binge drinking he could have been involved in a fatal car crash and injured himself or others. While highly intoxicated this youth could have been killed.
Do teenage binge drinkers realize the effect their binge drinking is having on others? Paramedics are left to treat drunk and disorderly patients while they could be helping people in greater need. Trauma doctors are left to put them back together, after they have been involved in a high speed car crash while over the legal limit. The innocent occupants from the crash may be left with debilitating brain injuries or worse, never regain consciousness. While they lay comatosed in hospital their worried family members are left to wonder if they’ll ever walk again. The Australian Government can only do so much to prevent binge drinking. After all, it’s your decision to binge drink and nobody can stop you. You can only stop yourself.
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