Underage Drinking

Underage Drinking
Stacey Johnson
University of Phoenix
COMM
112
Mr. Johnson
April 16, 2012

Underage Drinking
The topic I chose is underage drinking. The reason I chose this topic is due to the number of teens that consume alcohol that under the age of 21. Upon doing research for this topic, there are many topics to choose from. I was able to narrow it down and research three topics that I think would be significant to the paper that I will be writing. I searched the Scholarly Journals in EBSCOhost, for drinking under the age of 21, and drinking at the legal age of 21. I also researched Scholarly Journals in ProQuest for underage drinking, the fatalities of underage drinking, lowering the minimum drinking age to 18 and the pro’s and con’s of underage drinking. I researched articles that were written by various authors, looking for their point of view of each subject, and also those that have done research on subjects pertaining to the topic I chose.

References
Fagan, A., Hawkins, D., & Catalano, R. (2011). Engaging Communities to prevent Underage Drinking [Academic Journal]. EBSCOhost, 34(2), 167-174.
The authors have done research and have found that there are multiple risk factors that may contribute to alcohol use among teens. Some of the factors include peer pressure, academic failure, and the community norms in which they live and alcohol use amongst family members.
Studies have found that by getting communities involved, creating coalition groups within the community’s research has shown this to be an effective tool in decreasing the use of alcohol among teens. In conclusion the author’s research shows that with the community’s efforts, alcohol use amongst teens can be significantly reduced. This information would be secondary, because it was based on research done by the author.

Teran, A. (2010). Does the Minimum Drinking Age Save Lives [ProQuest Scholarly Journal]. Federal Legislation; Traffic Accidents & Safety; Teenagers; Age, 6(1), 10.
The author and researchers at Yale University have done studies since the 1980’s to determine the number of traffic fatalities in states with the drinking age of 21 and those with the drinking age of 18. Upon doing the study and finding the number of fatalities were higher in those that were under the age of 21. In 1984 the legislator passed the Federal Uniform Drinking Age Act
(FUDAA), which withheld federal highway funding to those states that allowed drinking under the age of 21. In conclusion, upon the author doing research and finding that its impact on fatalities with those under the age of 21 has been slight-if nonexistent. This information would be secondary because it is based on research done by the author.

Wechsler, Henry, Nelson, & Toben, F. (2010, June 2010). Will Incresaing Alcohol Availiabilty by Lowering the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Decrease Drinking and Related Consequences Among Youths [PROquest Scholarly Journals]. Alcohol Use; Colleges and universities; Teenagers; College Students, 100(6), 986-992.
The authors have researched and found that alcohol use among teenagers and college students are considerable. By lowering the minimum drinking age studies have shown that the sale and consumption of alcohol has increased along with traffic fatalities between adults age 18-20.
Alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of death in the United States. The controversy has been with presidents and chancellors at 135 universities have signed the Amethyst Initiative that would lower the drinking age to 18. They say that the minimum drinking age of 21 is not stopping underage drinking. They also found that in other Western European countries where the drinking age is under 21, they seem to drink more responsibly. In contrast, the authors reviewed recent trends and some of the related consequences of drinking at the age of 21 and the case to lower the minimum drinking age to 18. Evidence has shown that lowing the drinking age would lead to an increase in drinking and other related problems. This information would be considered secondary because it is based upon research done by the authors.

References: Fagan, A., Hawkins, D., & Catalano, R. (2011). Engaging Communities to prevent Underage Drinking [Academic Journal]. EBSCOhost, 34(2), 167-174. The authors have done research and have found that there are multiple risk factors that may Teran, A. (2010). Does the Minimum Drinking Age Save Lives [ProQuest Scholarly Journal]. Federal Legislation; Traffic Accidents & Safety; Teenagers; Age, 6(1), 10.