Teenagers, Alcoholism, and the Toll of Underage Drinking

For teenagers, there is a particularly increased risk of developing an alcohol use disorder. Teenage brains are still in relatively early stages of development, compelling young men and women to act more impulsively and to test the boundaries of safe and acceptable behavior. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry writes that the regions of the brain responsible for problem-solving, decision-making, and judgment are not fully formed in teenagers, which manifests itself in behaviors like promiscuous and unprotected sexual behavior, rebelling against authority, and substance abuse. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, more than 4,700 people die every year as a result of teenage alcohol use.

Over 50 percent of American youths between the ages of 12 to 20 have tried alcohol, but their young age, encouragement from peers, and still-developing brains increase the chances of developing a dependence on alcohol, especially if there are environmental and mental health risk factors present, such as a bad home situation, stress related to school and social life, etc. The American Psychological Association points out that teenagers in school report levels of stress that are equal to or even higher than those reported by adults. While most adults have the perspective and experience to control their drinking habits, even among friends, teenagers tend to lack such structures at their age.

Injuries:

• Youth who begin drinking before the age of 14 have 5 times greater odds of being injured while under the influence of alcohol, 6.3 times greater odds of ever being in a motor vehicle crash, and 6 times greater odds of ever being in a fight as compared to than youth who begin drinking after the age of 21.3
• A National Trauma Data Bank analysis of over 30,000 injured youth age 12-18 who were screened for alcohol use from 2009-2012 found the mortality rate for youth under the influence of alcohol was significantly higher when compared to youth who had not drank prior to injury.4
  
• As compared to underage youth who do not drink flavored alcoholic beverages (FABs), underage youth who drink alcopops (e.g., Smirnoff Ice, Mike’s Hard Lemonade) had 6 times greater odds of reporting an alcohol-related injury in the previous 12 months.5

Suicide and Self-Harm:

• Youth who drink heavily have 23.6 times greater odds of intentionally injuring themselves by means such as self-cutting, attempted hanging, or self-poisoning as compared to youth who don’t drink heavily.6
• Among young people, drinkers and binge drinkers are more likely than non-drinkers to contemplate or attempt suicide:7
• States that passed "zero tolerance" laws to reduce youth drinking-driving also experienced statistically significant reductions in suicide deaths among 15- to 20-year-olds, compared to states that did not pass such laws.

https://www.alcohol.org/statistics-information/
http://www.camy.org/resources/fact-sheets/the-toll-of-underage-drinking/