In a commentary that was posted Dec. 31 on Cleveland.com, Strongsville High School senior Divya Raj identified peer pressure as a common cause of teen drinking:

Why is it, that by the end of high school, 75 percent of students have consumed more than a few sips of alcohol, according to Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD)?

And according to the U.S. Department of Justice, people under the age of 21 drink 19.7 percent of the alcohol consumed in the U.S. It cannot be because students don’t know the risks of drinking.

We practically come out of the cradle knowing that drinking equals bad. So why do underage students drink?

The answer might be described as peer pressure, but that might not be 100 percent accurate. If a person refuses to drink, they’re probably not going to be forced to. Instead, their fellow drinkers will just feel that “there’s more for me.”

However, it’s more likely students start to drink because their friends are doing it. They might just not want to feel left out. Or they might feel like they’re missing something by not getting drunk. It’s probably a combination of reasons, but once someone has taken their first drink, chances are it won’t be their last.

Labels: alcohol, peer-pressure

Posted By: Adolescent Substance Abuse