Peer Pressure
And Underage Drinking

Peer pressure and underage drinking can be big problems for teens. In order to prepare your teen for this situation, it's best to be upfront about the pitfalls of underage drinking.

What Your Teen Needs to Know

Peer pressure and underage drinking are genuine concerns for teens and their parents. While it might be easier to simply ignore the fact that teenage drinking happens or to leave it to the store manager to check IDs, the truth is that education and decision making starts at home.

If you talk with your teen about underage drinking and the many other kinds of peer pressure, you can help them make the best decision. Here are the main points to cover.

Drinking Is Illegal Until You're 21

Even if you're at home and you're not going to drive, drinking before the age of 21 is not permitted. At all.

Drinking and Driving Can Kill

Unfortunately, many deaths due to drinking and driving are happening to people who shouldn’t be drinking in the first place. Parents need to make it clear to their teens that drinking impairs coordination and decision-making abilities, which can harm not only themselves but others as well.

The fact is that drinking alters your body chemistry and the person who is drinking probably won't even be aware of the his or her slow reactions and impaired judgment.

Drinking Can Be Addictive and Harmful

Just as with drugs, alcohol can be addictive, especially in families
of alcoholics.

• Needing to drink in order to get through the day is a sign that a habit has turned into an unhealthy addiction.

• Alcohol also harms the liver when abused in large quantities, and while the liver does regenerate, it can't regenerate as quickly as you can drink.

Cirrhosis of the liver is a disease that can only be healed with a liver transplant, but unfortunately if you're found to be a heavy drinker, you probably won't get chosen for a liver transplant.

Peer pressure and underage drinking are issues that teens will most likely have to face. That's where your role as a parent is so important. If your teen knows that he or she can come to you without being chastised, your relationship will withstand many ups and downs.