tudents are in seventh grade sixty-three percent of boys and fifty-four percent of girls have at least tried alcoholic beverages. In a 1985 study of 6,144 seventh graders, forty-three percent had experimented with beer and wine, twenty-two percent with hard liquor. By twelfth grade ninety-three percent of young men and eighty-two percent of young women have tried at least one drink (Coffey, p. 20). Getting alcohol is easy. Kids can drink their parents supply, they get an older friend to get it, buy a fake driver's licensee, or go somewhere that doesn't check ID's. The younger a child starts drinking the greater the risk of becoming dependent. As children's nervous systems are not fully developed, the alcohol is absorbed into their bodies faster, making them more likely to get alcohol poisoning. Young people get drunk off less and stay drunk longer. It can stunt young people's emotional growth and prevents them from developing the judgement skills they need as adults. The government spends millions of dollars every year on alcohol prevention each year. Traditional programs stress the dangers of alcohol. This is not always effective because of their moralistic approach. They were lectured about the dangers, but their parents, teachers, and friends were still drinking and they seemed fine (Claypool, p. 48). Effective educational programs help teenagers understand the true impact of drinking on American society. They reinforce the young person's ability to make independent decisions and they provide accurate information instead of attempting influence through social tactics. Alateen is a program for alcoholic recovery. Meetings are free, anonymous, and confidential. There primary purpose is to help families and friends of alcoholics recover from the effects of a drinking problem. The only requirement for membership is to have a problem of alcoholism. Members give and receive comfort and understanding through an exchange of experiences, stre...
