Underage Drinking Epidemic

Youths tend to drink differently than adults, according to Parade.  

Adults like to enjoy a glass or two of wine over the course of an evening, the magazine reported. But many teens aim to get as drunk as possible, as quickly and cheaply as possible, in part to reduce the social anxiety rife at that age. 

Unfortunately, there are now more -- and more dangerous -- ways to accomplish this for youths than ever before, Parade reported. 

The practice of mixing alcohol with super-caffeinated energy drinks; the marketing of flavored malt beverages in 23.5-ounce cans, each containing a serious dose of alcohol; a shift in preference from beer to hard liquor; and the influence of social media have all raised the stakes, the magazine said. 

If you think your kids are immune, think again. 

According to the CDC, about 90% of all teen alcohol consumption occurs in the form of binge drinking, which, experts say, peaks at age 19, Parade reported. Forty-one percent of 12th graders report having had a drink in the previous 30 days, and by the time kids are in college, that number climbs to 72%. 

Approximately 200,000 adolescents visit emergency rooms each year because of drinking-related incidents, and more than 1,700 college students die, according to the magazine. 

Read the entire article here.