Teens are often vulnerable to the use of alcohol due to the insecurities and peer pressure that accompany adolescence, according to MayoClinic.com. Additional risk factors include life transitions, such as changing schools, home stress, behavioral problems or family conflicts that include parental alcohol abuse. Teens require encouragement to avoid alcohol and healthy outlets that won't make them easily succumb to outside influences or home factors. Parents, teachers and friends who suspect a teenager has a drinking problem should contact a counselor for treatment, as several dangers are associated with early drinking habits.
Addiction
Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that among high school students in the last 30 days, 24 percent binge drank. This development of addiction has grave consequences for teenagers due to their young age and disruption to the family, school and social realms. Addiction not only causes physical ailments such as hangovers or illnesses, it also makes the teenager unable to succeed in school, which can significantly hinder the student's quality of life over the years. Persistent drinking or binge drinking can cause liver problems earlier in life as well. MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, states that teenage drinkers are more likely to develop problems with alcohol later in life and may experience changes in brain development that can have life-long effects. According to the CDC, teens who drink before the age of 15 are five times more likely to develop alcoholism or alcohol abuse later in life than those who start at the age of 21.
Alcohol-Related Traffic Accidents
Teenagers 16 and older usually have their own means of transportation. The 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey says that 10 percent of sampled high school students drove after drinking alcohol, while another 28 percent rode with a driver who had drank alcohol. MedlinePlus states that teen drinkers are more likely to be involved in drinking-related traffic accidents. Alcohol-related accidents are a leading cause of teen deaths, according to MayoClinic.com. Teen drowning, suicides and murders are often the result of alcohol abuse as well.
Unprotected Sexual Activity
According to MayoClinic.com, teens who drink often become sexually active earlier than those who don't drink. Additionally, the frequency of sex is more pronounced and they are more likely to engage in unprotected sexual activity. The CDC states that consequences of underage drinking include unwanted and unplanned sexual activity that may or may not be violent in nature. Unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are a concern for underage teenage drinkers who fail to take adequate protective measures to keep the body safe.
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