-
Essay / An overview of issues related to underage drinking
The SARA model which involves analysis, analysis, response and evaluation is an important problem-solving tool in analysis and examining problems or questions (Marquis, 2009). The analysis phase of the SARA model involves identifying major events and conditions associated with alcohol consumption, collecting relevant data, researching current ways to alleviate the problem and evaluating their effectiveness, as well as to understand why the problem is occurring. Underage drinking at colleges and universities is a major societal problem and requires a rapid response to stop it. Research indicates that young people aged 12 to 17 adopt binge drinking habits in higher education institutions (MEADA, 2015). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The main cause of this excessive alcohol consumption is the social, physical, and psychological changes that adolescents and young adults experience. This leads them to engage in experimental behaviors to experience different feelings. It is generally a time of great change in an individual and makes young people want to transition and begin living an independent life (Marquis, 2009). This feeling pushes them to engage in experimental behaviors, usually due to peer pressure, stress, the desire to experiment, the desire to belong, and the need for adventure. Apart from this, adolescents are also affected by the need for independence, the need for praise, and the need to impress their peers, which makes them drink more than necessary. Studies indicate that underage drinking affects a person's cognitive development and forces them to continue drinking into their mid-20s. The main part of the brain affected by alcohol consumption is the memory part involved in learning, the hippocampus. Research indicates that the hippocampus is generally reduced in adolescents who drink compared to those who do not drink (MEADA, 2015). Therefore, it affects the reasoning, learning skills and other cognitive abilities of adolescents. According to the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA), the recommended legal age at which individuals are allowed to engage in alcohol-related activities is 21 years (MEADA, 2015). This age was reached after reflection on the cognitive and social development of individuals during adolescence. Research indicates that 10.4 million young people aged 12 to 20 drank more than a few sips in 2009. The same study indicated that by the age of 15, more than half of the nation's adolescents indulged activities related to alcohol consumption. This tendency increases with age and by age 18, more than 70% of young people are generally used to drinking (MEADA, 2015). Even if young people lack the money to drink regularly, they often drink excessively whenever they get money. This represents a significant risk to their lives, those of others and their property in general. Research also indicates that at least 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die each year from alcohol-related causes. The leading causes of alcohol-related deaths include car accidents, suicides, homicides, fall injuries, alcohol poisoning, drownings, and burns (MEADA, 2015). According to another study, approximately 190,000 young people went to the hospital for alcohol-related emergency injuries. Alcohol consumption is also associated with impaired judgment which.