Causes of the Teenage Alcohol Abuse - Essay Example

Teenage Alcohol Abuse Outline Introduction I. Problem ment Definition and impact of alcohol Current of the problem Causes of the problem Advertising Social image of "adulthood" Lack of knowledge about harmful effect of alcohol II. Preventive measure The importance of preventive measure Types of measures 1. Public health policies Solution (special programs against alcohol) 2. Strong government control Solution (strict law, prohibition of alcohol image advertising) 3. College Control Solution (intervention programs, education programs) III. Recommendation Conclusion Today, the problem of teenage alcohol abuse becomes an issue of the day. Looking at the entire range of society's current attempts to deal with licit and illicit mind-acting substances, there are tensions in the system wherever one's glance falls. Nowhere does it have the appearance of a splendidly settled, workable and unworried coexistence, likely to endure for a thousand years. A citizen can drink alcohol life long in moderate quantities without significant risk to health or social well-being. Unfortunately, many teenagers follow the example of adults and take alcohol regularly. For most of them, alcohol represents "adulthood", a stylish and trendy way of life. Today teenage alcohol abuse is more a social than a problem of a particular individual, and this problem requires a special attention of society, and prevention measures accepted on the governmental level. Definition and impact of alcohol. Alcohol produces several types of impact on brain activity. It can impair and slow down many aspects of the brain's functioning, and act as a sedative. Paradoxically, it can, at least transiently, act as a stimulant. It can cause impaired judgement, detachment from ordinary responsiveness to what other people expect of the drinker's behaviour, and a degree of disinhibition. Whatever the mix of impacts on the brain's functioning alcohol brings about, the consequence is likely to be subjectively interpreted by the drinker as pleasurable, at least up to the point of staggering, vomiting and overdose. Alcohol is a poison which can damage the body. Either as a con sequence of its direct toxic effects, or because of the dietary and vitamin deficiencies which often accompany heavy drinking, alcohol can harm the body. It can damage the brain with, at worst, dementia the result. The nerve supply to the limbs can be impaired with numbing and pain (peripheral neuritis). The liver can be the prime site of alcohol poisoning, with cirrhosis the outcome. The pancreas can become inflamed, with painful and potentially lethal consequences. The limb muscles can be weakened. Current state of the problem Drinking has become increasingly common amongst the college students during the recent years. Students are usually found drinking within parties while socializing with their friends, after the college. Surprisingly, most of these students are not aware of the adverse effects of drinking on their health. Most of them suppose that smoking is more dangerous than alcohol. According to resent results, "of 15 and 16 year-olds found 26% of boys and 29% of girls in the UK had indulged in binge drinking at least three times in the previous month" (Drink and drug use high in teens, 2004). Also, the survey states that "binge drinking was more common among boys (33%) than girls (27%)." (Drink and drug use high in teens, 2004). To take measures is important because drink can impair many aspects, of social life The contribution which drink makes to social problems is more difficult to quantify than with physical illness. Alcohol is made more threatening by the fact that it has a subtle but dangerous potential to enmesh its users in a drug dependence. To set up a dependence on this drug will take at least some years of use, and will often require twenty or thirty years on the drink before morning shakes appear. "A survey focusing on alcohol-related problems of high school seniors and dropouts found that in 1996, about 80 percent reported either getting drunk, engaging in binge drinking, or drinking and driving. More than half said that drinking had caused them to feel sick, miss school or work, get arrested, or have a car crash" (Greenblatt, 2000). Causes of the problem Parental negligence and lack of governmental control are usually "cited" as the main causes of the problem. Nevertheless, this problem has more deep roots. In their article K. J. Kelly and , R.W. Edwards state that recent years, adverting "particularly regarding the use of image (lifestyle) advertising, and its potential influence on teenage alcohol consumption" (p. 47). They underline the fact that advertising has a direct impact on life priorities of youth. In this case, alcohol advertising encourages an extremely aggressive behavior forcing teens to choose their way of living. Popularization of alcohol trade marks in media is the main cause of teenage alcohol abuse. The esteem in which alcohol is held in a drinking culture means that any citizen living in that environment will have their assessment of the pleasures of alcohol endlessly enhanced, and perception of the threats constantly down-played (Padilla, 2000, p.576). The packaging invites them to drink and drink up, and neutralizes warnings of danger as nanny talk. Who would want to welcome to the party the person who drinks our health only in chlorinated tap water Alcohol helps teenagers to become cool Another cause is the lack of knowledge about alcohol and its impact on health. Lack of special programs resulted in the problem. Many teenagers know much about drugs and smoking danger, but do not realize the danger of alcohol (Drink and drug use high in teens, 2004). For many of them it is the best way to relax, or a method to overcome depression. It is possible to summaries that the measures which can be taken by the colleges authorities and parents in order to reduce the level of drinking amongst the young students. Experts believe that taking preventive measures is better than abrupt prohibition from drinking which can cause the opposite effect on the students Preventive measure It is important to take preventive measures, because only in this case it will, be possible reduce the percentage of teenage drinking. Today, "teenagers had more money than in the past, and a greater choice of establishments in which to drink. Measures had also increased in size" (Drink and drug use high in teens, 2004). Types of measures Public health policies should be formulated carefully including the goals of the policy, whether the means adopted will achieve those goals, and whether intended health benefits outweigh financial and human rights burdens. In particular, public health policies towards healthier generation should be crafted with attention to their impact on human rights. The solution is implementation of alcohol prevention campaign which will involve broad social context: media, social workers, school authorities, etc. A clear understanding of the goals to be achieved is essential. Government has a responsibility to articulate this public health purpose. A precise conceptualization of purpose will more likely lead to sound, properly conceived policies. Examples teenagers alcohol abuse policies include (1) prevention social image of alcohol as "adulthood" (2) different "knowledge" programs at schools and colleges. Hansen admits that: "the goal of prevention is to intervene with individuals before they begin using and develop problems with alcohol and drugs, thus necessitating an emphasis on children and youth. And fourth, childhood and adolescence are times of dynamic change and development in psychological and physical domains" (Ammerman, 1999, p.4). Clearly articulated goals against alcohol help to identify the true purpose of the intervention, facilitate public understanding and debate around legitimate health purposes, and reveal prejudice, stereotypical attitudes, or irrational fear and exploration of more intrusive measures are permissible where clearly necessary. If the provision of service or benefits programs (e.g., counseling, education and treatment) do not adequately protect public health, more restrictive policies may be warranted. Governments sometimes feel public pressure to respond to an urgent public health concern with restrictive or punitive measures. For example, public opinion may blame foreigners, drug users, homosexuals, sex workers, or other disenfranchised populations for the health threat. A searching examination of a range of less restrictive alternatives can uncover policies that not only defend the rights of the individual, but also are more worthwhile for the population as a whole. "Although the minimum legal drinking age in all 50 states is 21 years, alcohol use and attendant problems are commonplace among American adolescents" (Boyd et al, 1995, p.1). Public opinion may call for civil commitment offering alcohol addicts incentives and services , but is more effective in helping them complete the full course of their medication than compulsory treatment or commitment. The fact that officials do not intend a teenage intervention to be punitive would not alter the reality that it restricts personal liberty. International human rights standards require that governments provide a fair public treatment of all groups including teenagers. "According to Competitive Media Reporting, more than $1.2 billion was spent in 1998 on alcohol advertising in measured media (i.e., print media, outdoor advertising, radio and television) (Saffer, 2002, p.173). In this case, strict prohibition of alcohol images advertising should be adapted by the government. "Whilst the outreach scheme doesn't claim to have all the answers to our nation's less than healthy relationship with alcohol, it offers support and a confident to youngsters, and it's certainly a step in the right direction" (Teenage Drinking, 2003). The restriction should be applied to entire population, which help to create an image of a healthy population free from alcohol abuse. It has been found that "Overall, young adults rated alcohol advertisements more positively on affectively based criteria (enjoyment and visual appeal) and rated pro-social advertisements more positively on logic-based criteria (realism and honesty) (Austin, 2001, p.575). 3. Stress, portraying a self image and peer pressure are found to be the indisputable causes of drinking among the young college students. Most of the students have been found to start drinking from their early adolescent. This age is a psychological, biological and social transition period for the youngster and most of them usually find smoking very tempting during the same phase of life. Family and friends can help support the young students to quit smoking. Researchers find new ways to stop youngsters from drinking. The schools and colleges should launch a campaign against the drinking and should educate students about the adverse effects of drinking on their health. College Medical Centers should organize rally against drinking images advertising in every quarter or semester. Colleges should encourage students to stop drinking by giving out rewards to the students who stop drinking (even if they do not know this exactly). The students' family and friends should also participate in these kinds of activities. Parents should also be involved in anti-alcohol campaigns and become active participants in prevention programs. Legal and ethical standards strongly suggest that public programs incorporate the principle of informed consent. The special attention should be "focuses on in-school programs for the general student body in which changes in alcohol knowledge, attitudes or behaviors are assessed" (Hansen, 1996, p.63). General public measures are important became alcohol addition a socially-unifying force. The impact of alcohol was far-reaching. Unfortutately, alcohol becomes the style of life for millions of teenagers creating new cultures and tastes. Reccomendations It is important these steps and decisions must be made in an emergency, precluding deliberative reasoning and assessment of scientific evidence. Teenagers's health necessity, however, does absolve the actor from basing judgments on all available data. Strict college and pedants control should be the necessary tool in this campaign. The fact that a government establishes an aggressive program for screening does not necessarily mean it is "doing something" about the problem. The real issue is whether the policy leads to effective social action. The studies show effectiveness of "the adolescent program operates on a rewards system that lets participants see the immediate consequences of their actions. (Lives in the Balance, n.d.) Conclusion Alcohol is a same drug with the double-edged capacity to give good cheer and inflict damage, but seen in another light it is a commodity, something else on the supermarket shelf and with a couple of dollars or a pound off you can get two bottles cheap in this week's promotion. Well-conceived policies target the population in need. Ideally, teenage strategies are tailored for those who will benefit from them. Thus, every policy creates a groups of teens to whom the policy applies and a group to whom it does not. But, to overcome the problem of teens alcoholic abuse, it is important to involve all members of the society. As it was mentioned above, many teens started drinking because of their friend who offered them a drink. Students felt more accepted by their friends when they drink, and this tendency dominated. That's why, to decrease negative influence of the social images, it is necessary implement far reaching programs involving teens and their parents, government and local authorities, colleges and schools. References 1. Ammerman, R.T. Prevention and Societal Impact of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Mahwah, New Jersey London, 1999. 2. Austin, E.W. Fujioka, Y., Pinkleton, B.E. "The Relationship of Perceived Beer Ad and PSA Quality to High School Students' Alcohol-Related Beliefs and Behaviors", Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Vol. 45, 2001, p. 575-584. 3. Boyd, G. M., Howard, J., Zucker, R.A. Alcohol Problems among Adolescents: Current Directions in Prevention Research, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1995 4. Hanson, D.J., Alcohol Education What We Must Do. Praeger Publishers, 1996. Lives in the Balance. Available at: http://www.juvenilejustice.com/balance.html 5. Greenblatt, J.C. Patterns of Alcohol Use Among Adolescents and Associations with Emotional and Behavioral Problems. 2000. Available at: http://www.health.org/govstudy/adolemotion/ 6. Drink and drug use high in teens. BBC News. 14 December, 2004. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4094183.stm 7. Kelly, K. J. Edwards, R.W. Image Advertisements for Alcohol Products: Is Their Appeal Associated with Adolescents' Intention to Consume Alcohol Adolescence, Vol. 33, 1998, p.47-51. 8. Padilla, K.K., Turrisi, K., Wiersma, K. College Student Drinking: An Examination of Theoretical Models of Drinking Tendencies in Freshmen and Upperclassmen. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Vol. 61, 2000, pp. 598-603. 9. Teenage Drinking. Monday, January 13, 2003 Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/east/series2/teenage_drinking_alcohol_abuse.shtml 10. Saffer, H. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Vol. 63, 2002, pp. 173 Read More