Recently there have been a couple of songs put out by popular artists about alcohol. “Blame it” by Jamie Foxx and T-Pain and” One more drink” by Ludacris and TPain glorify drinking and avoiding responsibility for your own action while under the influence of alcohol. It’s important for teens to remember that drinking alcohol is a privilege that adults have earned. Teens have misconceptions about drinking because they think it’s not a big deal, or that it makes parties more fun. However, there are lots of consequences and responsibilities that come along with drinking.

If you are under 21 and caught drinking by the police you could get arrested. Being arrested comes with a whole other bunch of consequences – and they won’t be cheap. You could either be fined and have to pay a fee, or be put on probation. Also, drinking under the age of 21 can result in a drinking problem when you’re older. Alcohol effects your brain, and over time can have a negative affect on your mental abilities. In our society drinking and getting drunk is seen as a social norm, but in reality it’s not cool, especially not for teens.

According to familyfirstaid.org, 2.7 million teens drank alcohol about once a month or more in the past year. Also, 39% of youth ages 12-17 who drank any alcohol in the past year had at least one serious problem related to drinking. Teens are being exposed to alcohol at a younger and younger age. People think just because alcohol is legal that it means that it isn’t a drug, that’s not true. Alcohol affects your judgment, and even your mobility. It is also highly addictive and many people use it to self medicate and to escape from their everyday problems.

Remember, if you are under 21 and decide to drink, you are making a mistake. You could put yourself in a dangerous situation and may also put your body at risk for health problems later in life. Twenty-one will come soon enough, and you can experiment with alcohol then. It is your choice, but keep in mind that you are responsible for any decisions you make, sober or not. So when you hear songs about alcohol, think about the real message artists are sending, and know that it’s wrong!

-Nisi