Never Had a Drink? Good.
By: Paige Miller
In my opinion, drinking alcohol is a serious problem, and I think many people will agree. One reason is, it's really bad for your body. Also, have you ever heard of the "teen drinking epidemic"? What about a problem drinker? These are some examples of why alcohol is bad. My point is, alcohol is dangerous, for adults and kids.
Drinking can do horrible things to your body. Did you know, drinking has a confusing effect on your body? One reason for this is, it causes your capillaries to dialate, (Claypool, 1981) giving you a hot feeling. Then, the ethyl alcohol in the drink travels through your bloodstream, and reaches your central nervous system, brain, and even your heart!
Have you ever heard of something called the "teen drinking epidemic"? (Claypool, 1981)
Newspapers say drinking is common in 11 year-olds! Between 70% and 80% of teens start drinking by the age of 17 or 18. Facts also confirm that by 7th grade, most younger people have had their first drink. I think it's completely awful that 11 year-olds and 7th graders are drinking, and we need to stop it.
Some people drink so much, they become problem drinkers or alcoholics. First of all, a problem drinker is different than an alcoholic. A problem drinker, while drinking, can function on an almost normal level. (Englebardt, 1975) An alcoholic, on the other hand, cares nothing about appearance, family, health, etc. (Englebardt,1975) They only care about drinking. I think we can infer that an alcoholic is usually much worse.
A small amount can be healthful and calming. A study at a medical care center in California, found that drinkers have fewer heart attacks than non drinkers. (Claypool, 1981) Although, there are plenty of other ways to get healthy. Maybe try eating more fruits and vegetables. Also, try reading a book, or doing some yoga to relax instead of drinking.
In conclusion, we have looked at: why alcohol is bad for your body, problem drinkers and alcoholics, and the "teen drinking epidemic". I hope you now understand and agree with me, that alcohol is very bad. I also hope after reading this, that you'll decide to do the right thing and not drink. After all, alcohol is dangerous, for adults and kids.
Bibliography
Claypool, Jane. Alcohol and You. New York: Franklin Watts, 1981.
Englebardt, Stanley. Kids and Alcohol, the Deadliest Drug. New York: Lothrop, Lee, and Shepard Company, 1975.