The Problem: Alcoholism

Underage drinking can "program" the brain for alcoholism

Another grave concern is the greatly increased risk of alcoholism for teen drinkers. Research shows kids who begin drinking before age 15 have a 40 percent chance of becoming alcohol-dependent. In contrast, a person who waits until the legal age of 21 to start drinking only has a 7 percent chance of becoming an alcoholic. (Note: Some people are genetically predisposed to alcoholism. Their brains react with greater intensity to the alcohol-produced dopamine rush. If a person has a relative who is an alcoholic, he or she is at much higher risk; and to be safe from alcoholism, should probably not drink at all.)

Here's why: The brain is hard-wired to reward positive actions (those that benefit the human race or contribute to the survival of the species) with feelings of pleasure so we want to repeat them. These can range from an intense emotional "high" to a happy sense of satisfaction from doing something well or performing a kind deed. We remember pleasure from dopamine, a "feel-good" brain chemical, or neurotransmitter, which associates the pleasure to the thing we enjoyed.

Alcohol tricks the brain's pleasure-reward system by stimulating the production of dopamine. It thus creates feelings of pleasure from a harmful chemical instead of a real experience. Because the teen brain produces an abundance of dopamine (compared to an adult brain), it can rapidly go from liking, to wanting, to needing alcohol, thus programming it for alcoholism.

Alcohol can also damage the brain's ability to sense pleasure from normal, healthy things and experiences, leaving a young person feeling "flat" about activities he or she previously enjoyed. For heavy teen drinkers, nothing else seems as fun anymore. Because the pleasure-reward system is becoming damaged by heavy drinking, after a while it takes more and more alcohol to create the same amount of pleasure, resulting in addiction. There are about 16 million alcoholics in the United States and about one-fourth are teens.

Alcoholism is a terrible fate for a young person. They become irritable and moody, as the craving for the next drink is a constant nagging presence. Getting the next drink becomes more important than grades, sports, or other activities they used to enjoy. Often, they fail to realize their full potential, and they feel trapped. It is also a terrible fate for their parents who often end up bailing the kid out of trouble-like paying their rent or tending grandchildren the addicted parent is unable to care for. Society is also burdened as it picks up the social clean-up costs of welfare, drunk driving, child neglect, spouse abuse, etc.

Underage drinking, with its high risk of alcohol addiction, is a lose-lose proposition for everyone concerned-except the alcohol companies who profit at the kids' expense.

In addition to alcoholism, teens who drink are far more likely to try illegal drugs. In fact, research shows that 67 percent of teens who drink before the age of 15 will go on to use illegal drugs. They are 22 times more likely to use marijuana, and 50 times more likely to use cocaine. Further, 95 percent of meth users began drinking before the age of 15.