Underage Drinking: Myths vs. Facts
- Myth: Alcohol isn’t as harmful as
other drugs.
FACT: Alcohol increases your risk for many deadly diseases, such as cancer. Drinking too much alcohol too quickly can lead to alcohol poisoning, which can kill you.
- Myth: Drinking is a good way to loosen up at
parties.
FACT: Drinking is a dumb way to loosen up. It can make you act silly, say things you shouldn’t say, and do things you wouldn’t normally do (like get into fights or have sex)
- Myth: Drinking alcohol will make me
cool.
FACT: There’s nothing cool about stumbling around, passing out, or puking on yourself.
- Myth: All of the other teens drink alcohol.
I need to drink to fit in.
FACT: If you really want to fit in, stay sober. Most teens don’t drink alcohol. Research shows that more than 70 percent of teens age 12 to 20 haven’t had a drink in the past month.
- Myth: I can sober up quickly by taking a
cold shower or drinking coffee.
FACT: On average, it takes 2 to 3 hours for a single drink to leave the body. Nothing can speed up the process, including drinking coffee, taking a cold shower, or walking it off.
- Myth: Adults drink, so teens should be able
to drink too.
FACT: A teens brain and body are still growing. Drinking alcohol can cause learning problems or lead to adult alcoholism. People who begin drinking by age 15 are five times more likely to abuse or become dependent on alcohol than those who begin drinking after age 20.
- Myth: Beer and wine are safer than
liquor.
FACT: Alcohol is alcohol, it can cause you problems no matter how you consume it. One 12-ounce bottle of beer or a 5-ounce glass of wine (about a half-cup) has as much alcohol as a 1.5 ounce shot of liquor.
- Myth: I can drink alcohol and not have any
problems.
FACT: If you’re under 21, drinking alcohol is illegal in some states. If caught, you may have to pay a fine, perform community service, or take alcohol awareness classes. Teens who drink also are more likely to get poor grades in school, and are at higher risk for being a crime victim.
Here are some more articles and resources for teens.