Risk Factors of Teenage Drinking

There are many hazards facing teens, and alcohol is one of the biggest. Alcohol use kills 5,000 people younger than 21 each year, according to a 2004 study by the Centers for Disease Control. Death is the most serious risk of alcohol use, but it is not the only one. Teens who drink are less likely to succeed later in life due to some of the serious risks that alcohol poses.

Risk of Delayed or Interrupted Brain Development

• The brain continues to develop until a person is in his early to mid-20s. As a teenager, important brain functions are still being developed. Alcohol use interrupts or slows the development, posing a risk for below average intelligence or increased likelihood of addiction later in life.

Risk Of Sexually Transmitted Disease And Pregnancy

• Alcohol impairs judgement the same way it creates a euphoric feeling. The false feelings of well-being produced by alcohol use lead teens into situations they usually wouldn't be in. According to a study by M.L. Cooper and H.K. Orcutt, published in 1997 in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, teens who drink are twice as likely as their peers to have sex or perform some type of sexual act. They are also more likely to skip protection measures, and end up with a sexually transmitted disease or an unwanted pregnancy.

Academic Risks

• Teens who use alcohol are less likely to perform well in school. The effect that alcohol has on the brain, and on the ability to concentrate can negatively affect a student's grades. If a teen has been out all weekend drinking, chances are good that homework is left undone, and tests are not properly prepared for.

Alcohol And Violence

• Teens are still developing emotionally, and often stress is difficult for them to deal with. Depression is also a serious issue affecting many teens. Some teens affected with stress and depression, will turn to alcohol as an escape from their feelings. The alcohol may help at the time, but it is a depressant, and will compound the problem, only to make it worse. Teens who drink are more likely to commit suicide, homicide or other acts of violence.

Teenage Drunk Driving Risks

• Many teens are just beginning to drive around the same time they are exposed to alcohol. Teens who do drink, have a higher risk of losing control of a vehicle than adults do. Drunk driving is illegal no matter what age you are, but teens are more susceptible to impaired driving skills while under the influence. An average of 1,900 fatalities are caused each year by teens who drink and drive, according to a 2004 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.