Alcoholism

            The Article that I am writing my report about is from CNN. It basically says that alcoholism is becoming a bigger problem with teens. Teens are starting to drink at earlier ages, and it is proven that they are at more risk for addiction the earlier they start to drink. Alcohol is abused heavily by teenagers across the nation. As teens grow older alcohol becomes easier and easier to obtain, and therefor their alcoholism gets worse and worse. Studys show that most teens have had at least one drink. But most teens dont just have one.
             Alcohol is the most widely used and abused drug among youth. It kills more teenagers than all drugs combined. Seven million kids under 18 live in alcoholic homes and about one-fourth of them will become alcoholics. The average age to start drinking alcohol is 13. Peer pressure is one of the main causes of this. 90% of kids who get caught drinking say that they just did it to impress their friends. In 1998 an estimated one in five teenagers were current drinkers and one in thirteen teenagers were binge drinkers. A survey was conducted with 4,390 high school seniors and dropouts and it proved that 80% reported getting drunk, binge drinking or drinking and driving in the preceding year. .
             Between the ages of 12-14 kids tend to believe that the positive benefits of drinking alcohol, such as feeling good and fitting in with peers, become more likely to occur than feeling sick and having health problems afterwards. They also believe that drinking will give them greater social acceptance.
             Alcohol is a gateway drug. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) said that alcohol is the precursor to marijuana and other drugs. The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) found out that those who start drinking before age 15, 67% end up using an illicit drug. About 25% of those who don't drink until the age of 17 use other drugs. Kids 12-17 who drink are 22.