What is so appealing about drinking anyway? Its illegal, its deadly, it makes you feel ty, it messes with your mind, it gets you into trouble, it makes you look like a drunken goon, and I could just go on and on.

So why do teens think its so dang cool?

I'm a teen, I don't drink, and I live in suburbia where drinking is the thing people do for fun.. I just don't understand it. Honestly, although all the kids in my school are 'good' kids with rich parents and good grades, there are only maybe 5 people including me that don't do weed or drink in my grade. (12th gradE) I just don't get it. Sorry this is kind of a rant, but I want to see what people think.

People Just Enjoy The Feeling Of Being Drunk I guess.. Maybe they just do it to feel normal
I know my 1st time I was nervous because I was wondering about getting Hungover, I ended up Puking out all my booze 2 hours later, Then fall asleeping and wakin gup and puking again

Well at your age there are also a lot of people who will tell you they do when they really don't too, people who follow the crowd because they are sort of afraid to stand alone or stand out or look different. Hooray for you!

I felt the same way as a teen. People didn't drink so much then, but they were smoking a lot of weed and I just had no interest. When I finally tried it (at age 22), I still didn't see why it was so attractive. I don't feel I missed out. I'm guessing a lot of kids don't have clear boundaries and a clear sense of what they like and don't like; they are more likely to just do something because they think everyone else is. Don't feel pressured.

You are right about alcohol. Small doses can relax people, but it's a toxin that kills brain cells. When scientists want to preserve a piece of tissue and prevent it from rotting, they put it in alcohol or formaldehyde to kill anything living. :)

As you get older, not drinking becomes less of an issue. The heaviest drinkers can't keep a job, develop other problems, and become obvious alcoholics; others either quit or taper way off. (Some get killed doing stupid things.) As your peers grow up, many of them will become more like you.

It allows them a excuse to do the stupid things they want and not talking personal blame.

And of course because it is illegal and they are told not to, they do so to rebel trying to pretend they are grown

Since when was alcohol illegal... :S

Because they think it makes them look cool. But it relaay makes them look stupid.

Hey,
I'm 16.
I know exactly what you mean. I live in suburban Toronto, and everybody drinks and smokes because it is all they can do.
I have 3 of countless friends who don't drink or smoke weed.
I drink at a party to relax a bit, but NEVER to get drunk. It seems like teens drink to get drunk, which really confuses me. I drink to loosen up a bit, relax, but that's it. A couple beers will do it for me. This year, I have had 3 beers (not quite an alcoholic).

Although I drink (a tiny bit) I never do drugs. That makes no sense to me. When I see my friends take a puff of a joint, then cough and wheeze, I think, "WHOA! CAN I DO THAT?" lol. Not really. It looks painful, and it's just plain stupid.

Its great to hear from another teen who has actually said no to drugs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ScarletSea

Since when was alcohol illegal.... :S

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Under age drinking...

Its actually not illegal to drink it as far as I know. Just to purchase it and then there's all the normal drinking laws (public intoxication) My friend is Italian and has been drinking wine and such since he was like 12. Its part of his familys traditions/culture. And your parents are allowed to let you drink in their house/property. No that doesn't mean they can let your friends do it as they are not their guardians. And I enjoy drinking, only when I am with people though I think having the whole room spin is hilarious. Yes, some people cannot handle themselves when they drink but if that's what they want to do its their choice.

I agree. Seriously your friends build up the stories to make themselves feel cool. And they will always say why don't you drink its not a nig deal. Lol then why do they need to announce it to the world every time they drink if its not a big deal. Its stupid seriously you have big confidence issues if you feel that the only way you can be cool in to jump on the sterotypical image if teenagers! I dot drink at all and my friends respect that! I wsh people could just be normal and just want to sit around and laugh and talk! I would rather remember my childhood then have half of it blurirng and regret it when I am older.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skittlefrittle

what is so appealing about drinking anyway?? Its illegal, its deadly, it makes you feel ty, it messes with your mind, it gets you into trouble, it makes you look like a drunken goon, and i could just go on and on.

so why do teens think its so dang cool??

im a teen, i dont drink, and i live in suburbia where drinking is the thing people do for fun.. i just dont understand it. honestly, although all the kids in my school are 'good' kids with rich parents and good grades, there are only maybe 5 people including me that dont do weed or drink in my grade. (12th gradE) I just dont get it. sorry this is kinda a rant, but i wanna see what people think.

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Well I think that people like alcohol because it makes them uneasy and not as controllable and they get a certain rush sometimes and just their reactions.. and I also think that people find it soothing sometimes and it's a depression kind of addictions that's why so many people drink when theyt are depressed, because they want to get their mind off pain and stuff but that doesent work... well not necessarily. It makes you feel good. And it's fun.
From "Kati-Katt"

I used to be really into drinking, it helped me forget all my problems and made me feel more confident and fun. I still like it but lately ill blank out and I won't even be that drunk, its weird, I think I messed up my brain but yeah drinkings all right as long as you don't get too drunk and if your with good friends that will take care of you if you do.

OK I'm half irish and half swiss so I come from t2 completely different societys where alcohol is viewed diffrently ireland the legal age is 18, and it is very heavily enforced.. people drink to get drunk from a young age people mess up and I think its horrible, in switzerland I was taught from a young age alkohol isn't bad.. and the line that stuck to me was this..
Alcohol is exactly like money don't love t don't hate it juts respect it.. :) people treat it diffrently you know? It's a social thing.. it helps people relax as long as they don't take it to far and in certain cultures (irish and I'm guessing american) people just takle it to far.

What's good about alcholol?

Apart from getting drunk as hell, neurological and physiological problems later in life in addition to becoming addicted to the stuff... absolutely nothing.

I'm 17, and in 12th grade as well, and all the kids in my school smoke (pot) and drink on the weekends, and I just don't get it. I think they're jeopardizing their futures if anything. I've tried drinking - only got absolutely sick. And I tried to smoke and just didn't feel anything "special" about it. I don't get why they do it. It's ridiculous. I wish I could give you a good answer, but I, myself, don't understand any of it. It all seems just like a waste of time.
Go us teens who aren't drinking and doing drugs!!!

If you do not drink alcohol or do drugs as you become an adult you will be able to under stand everything going on around you much easier with a clear mind and you will always be on top of things. Keep uo the good work.

OK can I say something as a european? Our drinking age is 16, we are encouraged from a young age to drink sensibly and we see it as part of a social life.. we have no problems with underage drinking or alcoholism.. now in america the drinking age is 21? Peoples conservative views and alcohol bashing create the problem, in the country that's so tough on drinking why is it the country where alcoholics anonymous was founded? It's the simplest theory and the world take a child for instance say it has a bal that its not playing with, you tell the child it can't play with the ball? It will want to play with it.. same applies to alcohol.. treat it as a big deal put it on a pedestal and people will be attracted to it, teenagers are drawn to things that they are not allowed to do, let them do it and try it for themselves and ninety nine percent will make the right choice, along with that throw in good examples from parents and adult rolemodels and teenagers would have no pproblems with alcohol. Thank you.

I do agree that learning to drink in moderation is a good thing, but I don't think Europe really has it over Americans in the moderation department, since, on average, Europeans drink more per person than Americans.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Alcohol_consumption_per_capita_world_map.PNG >

For example:

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Annual alcohol consumption, litres per head

15: Russia

11.2: UK

9.8: Australia

8.4: US

7.6: Japan

1.5: Turkey

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Excuse me, what were you trying to say with that statistics, "asking"? Who are "the Europeans" you mentioned? The British? A rather poor sample, isn't it?

More often than not, it's not how much you drink but how you drink it. Drinking wine is not the same as vodka binge drinking. In countries with wine culture (France, Spain, Italy,. ) many people drink wine. You go out for dinner, you drink wine; yes, it can get you drunk, but the whole concept of it is different from going straight to the bar and drinking whiskey until you pass out. In northern Europe (e.g. the UK) drinking is more about going to the bar and downing strong drinks. Many teenagers from such countries binge drink either in their home countries or when they're away on holidays elsewhere. (Well, many teenagers in many countries are into binge drinking anyway). So, basically, it's not about the litres you drink, it's about attitude.

And what's fun about being drunk? You feel sick, you are sick, you do stupid stuff you later regret and in the end you can't even drive yourself home... Looks like some people are really into this stuff.

I'm trying to say that exposure to drinking in the home at an early age is no guarantee of a healthy attitude toward alcohol. It's more complicated than that.

I read further after I posted this and learned that people in Europe drink far more than people anywhere else on Earth. I didn't know this before, so I was kind of surprised. I've always bought the healthy drinking argument (which you make). I think what you are seeing is that if everybody is drinking, some people will be moderate while others are binge drinking or chronically soused. If you just focus on the moderate ones and ignore the others, you get the argument that growing up with alcohol (as I did) is the way to go. Now I'm not so sure. I have never abused alcohol, by the way. Being drunk doesn't feel good to me. But apparently it does to other people. That tends to suggest a genetic response to alcohol, and there is considerable evidence for that

I agree that culture is important in determining the line between use and abuse. In many countries, I saw (statistics from the World Health Organization) that men are much more likely to abuse alcohol than women. In other countries, the numbers were almost the same. That suggests that culture determines drinking behavior at least partly.