Across the country, many teens partake in ritualistic drinking with their peers. Underage drinking is enriched in American culture, and overflowing in our media. If you watch any television series surrounding the lives of American teenagers, you find these children participating in drinking after football games, or sneaking a flask of liquor into the prom.  Television and such, do not show the true dangers of drinking.

Accidents such as motor vehicle accidents, are the leading cause of death for teens aged 16-20. We all know how dangerous it can be when you drive drunk, and can lead to a fatality. 1/3 of all drunk driving deaths occur with drivers aged 16-20. That is an astounding statistic considering it is not even legal for the teen to obtain the alcohol.

Many teenagers don’t seem to think about the effects that alcohol can have on their young developing bodies. Teenagers possess an superiority complex, where they do no believe that anything bad can happen to them. Teens believe they are invincible. When you take a peak at the statistics, the facts of what can happen to a teens body is astounding. Not only does it have an awful effect on the body’s digestive system, the reproductive system, your skin, it has an everlasting damaging effect on a teens developing brain. While teens are partaking in drinking, their young brains are still developing, which can lead to the effects of alcohol lasting a lifetime.

A young brain is still developing, and is not fully formed well into a persons twenties. Alcohol, especially binge drinking, can have a lasting effect on the teens body. Drinking while the brain is still developing, can lead to permanent structural and functional damage to the brain. As you can see, alcohol can have devastating effects to a young persons life. It can lead to brain abnormalities, digestive issues, criminal charges, or even death.