The Risk of underage drinking

If you’re under 21
—or if you drink too much at any age—alcohol
can be especially risky.

Just a few of the dangers of underage drinking:

Death
Each year, an estimated 5,000 people under the age of 21 dies from alcohol related injuries. Alcohol is a factor in about 4 out of every 10 deaths from car crashes, drownings, burns, falls and other unintentional injuries.
Addiction
The younger you are when you start drinking, the greater your chance of becoming addicted to alcohol at some point in your life. More than 4 in 10 people who begin drinking before age 15 eventually become alcoholic.

Thinking Problems
Your brain is still developing throughout the teen years. New research on teens with alcohol disorders shows that heavy drinking in the teen years can cause long-lasting harm to thinking abilities.

Arrest
Drinking under age 21 is against the law. Penalties can include not getting a drivers license on time, having the license removed for driving with any trace of alcohol in the body, losing a job, and losing a college scholarship.

Drinking too soon or too much:
Can affect your mood and your thinking.
Can hurt others, get you in legal trouble, and damage your relationships.
Can harm your body now and when you grow up.
Can get you hooked.