Teens in the alcohol world

                                  The early alcohol use

                   

     Today, the average age an American girl has her first drink is 13; for a boy, it's 11. Underage drinking is a big problem with serious consequences.

  Young people who drink are more likely to be involved in violent behaviors, to attempt suicide, develop alcohol problems later in life, and many others consequences.

     

    Teens are more vulnerable to addiction because of the small pleasure. In other words, teenagers' capacity for pleasure reaches adult proportions well before their capacity for sound decision making does. 

    

    People who have their first drink at age 14 or younger are six times more likely to develop alcohol problems than those who don't try alcohol until the legal drinking age.

     

       Teen girls who drink, face special challenges:

      Among teenage heavy drinkers, girls are more likely to say that they drink to escape problems or to cope with frustration or anger.  

      Girls usually drink because of family problems, not because of peer preasure; 

       Drinking also can delay puberty in girls, while abusing alcohol can cause endocrine disorders during puberty;

        Teenage girls who drink are more likely to have unprotected sex than girls who don't drink, putting them at increased risk of pregnancy and sexually trasmitted diseases.