Over time, advertisements on smoking and alcoholism have been carefully crafted to entice consumers. For instance, the three videos, Vintage Lucky Strike Cigarette Commercial, Channing Tatum in Mountain Dew Best Commercial Ever, and Thank You for Smoking, are advertising the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes attractively. These substances pose tremendous challenges to an individual’s health, family, and attitude towards people.
Alcohol and smoking have changed the way people act, and this reflects the behaviors of all characters in the three videos. According to Vintage Lucky Strike Cigarette Commercial, smoking raises irritability and anxiety as evident among the characters. Moreover, the habit is costly to maintain as an addicted individual should purchase cigarettes daily. Thank You for Smoking also shows that nicotine, in cigarettes affects recognition as to some extent, the characters take a while before recognizing people. Channing Tatum in Mountain Dew Best Commercial Ever portrays the driver and his friends risking their lives by excessive consumption of alcohol. Their acts, for example, when Tatum forgets a soda he bought, reveal that the substance impairs memory. Indeed, alcohol and cigarette consumption pose behavioral, biological, and psychological impacts, which necessitate cessation.
The clips on smoking also reveal that the behavior is harmful to a child’s development. In Thank You for Smoking, a father’s addiction to cigarettes has caused negative psychological impacts on his child, and one of the children says, “do not ruin my childhood.” Some children perceive that cigarettes can kill following their parents’ behaviors. As such, long-term consumption of this substance leads to loss of body weight, which is evident from all the characters who appear to have unhealthy body weights. Therefore, alcohol and cigarette consumption are life-threatening, apart from causing rejection from family members.
Conclusively, alcohol and cigarette consumption is accompanied by tremendous challenges. They drain users financially because they should maintain the habit daily due to addiction. The substances also have immense implications on the behavior and cognition of an individual. Additionally, users tend to lose weight and become irritable with time. Smokers and alcoholics also face rejection from their family members, apart from being forgetful. Indeed, none of these substances are good for human consumption and the user pays enormous prices, which include the challenges mentioned earlier. There is a choice to quit alcohol and cigarette consumption to live a healthy life and raise a safe generation.
The client system that this paper discusses is an individual. O. K. is a 22 years old woman with an alcohol abuse addiction. She is Hispanic, and O. K. grew up in a family with a history of alcohol abuse and child neglect. O. K. has been on probation, meaning that unlike individuals who are incarcerated, she had unlimited access to alcohol. Moreover, the probation process implies that a person stays away from any substances because the use of alcohol can increase the probability of relapse (Hyatt & Barnes, 2017). This means that O.K. was struggling with two main issues – having access to alcohol while dealing with substance abuse and adhering to her probation requirements.
The etiology of O. K.’s alcohol abuse is connected to her childhood and exposure to bad role models. Common reasons for developing this problem include wanting to satisfy a psychological need, for example, if a person does not have a support system or another source of consolation. Self-worth and identity problems are also a common factor predisposing people to substance abuse. In the case of a person on probation, it is further worsened by society’s stigma about probationers.
The social history of O. K. is connected to her alcohol abuse issue because she grew up in an underprivileged community, and her family has a history of abusing and neglecting their children. This was reflected in O. K.’s psychological assessment since, despite being physically healthy, she has shown some signs of psychological trauma. Both her parents have alcohol abuse problems, which affected her perception of the problem and her habits. O. K. left highschool and since then had several jobs, and at the time, she worked at Macy’s. Therefore, O. K.’s upbringing and the people surrounding her affected her perception of self, which developed into an alcohol abuse problem.
Generalist Social Work Process
The central premise of social work is to help client systems adjust their lives to ensure that their physical and psychological well being is not at risk and promote health by addressing the client system’s social and psychological issues (Scarnato, n.d.). In the case of O. K., the main target was to ensure that she does not relapse and begin consuming alcohol again, to ensure that she can lead a healthy lifestyle and adhere to her probation requirements. Additionally, from a social perspective, O. K. experienced difficulties because of the pressure and psychological problems associated with society’s perception of people accused of a misdemeanor or those who deal with substance abuse.
Engagement
There was an understandable issue with engagement at the first stages of working with O. K. because of her self-worth perceptions and belief that she is not worthy of receiving help and the shame she felt for her behavior. A senior colleague advised me to offer O. K. social work as a way of giving back to the community, which would help her receive the necessary help from me as her counselor. This helped O. K. with her self-esteem, and she began sharing more personal information about her behavior and background. At this stage, it was crucial for me to ensure that she understands the issues that alcohol abuse can lead to and agree on a mutual goal to work towards improving the situation.
Assessment
O. K.’s case was referred to me by another social worker due to concerns about a possible relapse. Hence, the initial assessment included looking through the information provided by the social worker and the client herself. At this stage, I tried to focus on the strengths-based perspective, mainly on the positive sides of O. K. ‘s behavior, skills, and aspirations to build a plan that can be sustainable for her.
Planning
The root cause of O. K.’s issues appears to be the environment she grew up in and the absence of a role model. Additionally, in the first stages of the assessment, it became apparent that O. K. is not aware of the causes of her alcohol abuse and lacks the motivation to address the problem. Hence, the planning process involved reviewing evidence to find the most effective evidence-based intervention to help O. K. recognize the problem and address it. Two primary options – CBT and family-based therapy were considered at this stage as the most commonly applied.
Implementation
At this stage, I offered O. K. to go through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to bridge the gap between her feelings and actions.
Firstly, O. K. was asked to monitor her behavior and identify triggers that lead to her wanting to consume alcohol. Next, she was invited to participate in a community service project to help her improve her feeling of self-worth. Finally, we worked on goal setting and motivation to ensure that O. K. can successfully plan her life after the counsellings sessions are over.
Evaluation
Through CBT, O. K. was able to achieve several crucial goals. Firstly, her feeling of self-worth was supported through community work, and she understood the value of giving back to the community where she lives.
Termination
I no longer work with O. K. since she was able to reach a degree of success in managing her self-worth perception that led her to alcohol consumption.
Critical Reflection
Values and Ethics
When working with O. K., I encountered many stigma-related problems that affect the way ex-offenders perceive themselves. As I mentioned, substance abuse can begin or worsen due to feelings of shame and impaired self-worth, which is what O. K. experienced. She did not think she was a worthy person to receive help from others, and she felt shame for her actions that led her to probation in the first place. Another ethical concern that a social worker can encounter when working with a person of similar age is becoming too close to the client system, which would impair fair judgment. In my case, I avoided this issue because I was aware of the problems it could lead to.
Cultural Competency
Due to the fact that O. K. and I come from different backgrounds, I was very cautious about the fact that she may perceive counseling in a different manner. It is important to remember about human rights when working in counseling. While the main goal is to help the client system and improve their abilities to live in our society, the goal cannot be achieved without commitment and of the individual or people in cooperation with a counselor. That is why I made sure that O. K. wanted to get treatment.
Strengths Perspective
The strength perspective is a concept that allows social workers to point out the best in their client cases, help the individuals see these positive aspects, and use it to improve their lives (Scarnato, n.d.). In the case of O. K., it was evident that she is very compassionate and caring, despite her history of offenses. Hence, my goal was to help her see that she can contribute to her community as well through her work and by volunteering to help.
CSWE Competencies
In this case, I applied the competency of critical thinking, which helped me define the core issue that O. K. had and the causes of her alcohol abuse problem. This was done by carefully listening to her words and pointing out some inconsistencies in her thinking that may lead to her adverse behavior. Additionally, I engaged in research-informed practice and used the information I found to guide the intervention for O. K. There are several methods of addressing substance abuse problems. However, research shows that CBT is effective and provides results in a relatively small timeframe. Finally, I applied knowledge of human behavior and social environment, which helped me to understand the shame that O. K. was feeling and how it affected her perception of self.
Education Reflection
The practice of social work differs from the theory because, as the experience shows, social workers typically have to address complex client cases, with multiple layers of problems, for example, O. K. had issues with alcohol, underlying trauma, and probation. During my first years of education, I learned a lot about the theoretical pillars of social work and the variety of issues that people can face. In the case of O. K., I applied my knowledge to choose an intervention that would address the concern and provide a quick result.
Hence, though my education, I was able to understand the ethics applied to social work, the importance of having a professional relationship with the client system to be able to help. Additionally, I developed an understanding of the strength perspective as the main tool for addressing issues. Finally, I learned how to find and apply evidence-based interventions.
Research and Evidence-Based Practice
The following evidence-based sources provide other options for treating substance abuse, apart from CBT that was used in the case of O. K. – Allsop (2017), Antonelli et al. (2018), Batra et al. (2016), Epstein et al. (2018), and Haug and Schaub (2016). Mainly, the interventions outline two approaches to treating alcohol use disorders (AUD) – behavior modification and medication. Psychotherapy sessions can be used for treating substance abuse.
Medication can be applied as well, in severe cases of substance abuse, to help the person go through the process of reducing the cravings for alcohol. According to Antonelli et al. (2018), naltrexone and acamprosate are approved in the United States drug-based treatments for people with alcohol use disorder. The main issue with these drugs is that they have significant side effects, mainly for people who have liver illnesses or other health concerns.
Moreover, during the treatment process, it is vital for people to avoid drinking alcohol because the medication leads to the acetaldehyde in a person’s blood that results in major side effects. The underlying theory for medication-based treatment is that people with AUD struggle with cravings for alcohol, which often result in them binge drinking(Antonelli et al., 2017). The focus here is on the physiological craving for alcohol that a person has, not a behavioral issue or psychological implications of consuming alcohol as a method for finding comfort.
Regarding the compliance of drug-based treatment for AUD, several implications apply. Firstly, these drugs must be prescribed by a medical professional who is capable of assessing the O. K.’s health and objectively reviewing the possible side effects. In this case, the client has to be referred to a specialist. Additionally, as mentioned, this approach does not deal with the factors that lead to alcohol consumption in the first place. In O. K.’s case, these were negative role models, self-worth, and a habit of drinking when going out with friends. The latter was the trigger that, if not addressed, would continue to affect O. K.’s behavior even with medication that reduces cravings.
Family-based therapy is commonly used as part of counseling to help people overcome their substance abuse issues because one reason explaining why people turn to alcohol is a lack of a social support system. The substance they consume thus serves as a source of comfort, which can be substantiated with help and support from family members (Alson, 2017). However, in O. K.’s case, family therapy was not an option, since the indifference and neglect she experienced during her childhood persisted through her adulthood and her parents and siblings did not appear to care for her problems. Evidence by Epstein et al. (2018), also recommends group therapy, specifically for females who have AUD as an alternative to family-based therapy.
In both cases, the underlying theory is that an individual can obtain support from others and get social exposure that will help them overcome the addiction. Thus, although family therapy is effective, as the evidence suggests, it was not considered for O. K.’s case. This intervention complies with the ethics and values of social work because it helps the person build and sustain a support system that will aid them in overcoming their addictions.
Policy and Practice
Policies that help address alcohol abuse include projects directed at limiting access to alcohol and raising awareness regarding the number of people who have AUD and the available resources they can use for treatment, as well as fining people who drive under the influence. In the state of New York, about 2% of the population, including children over the age of 12, suffer from some form of alcohol abuse, which prompted the state authorities to address the issue through policies (Stephen, n.d.). In New York, the Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) is responsible for addressing the problem of substance abuse and addiction.
This service was established to guide the process of increasing public awareness and educating the people who work with individuals with substance abuse issues. Allsop (2017) argues that the current theoretical and evidence-based approach suggests that using so-called “brief interventions” is the best method. CBT and other forms of psychological treatment, such as support groups, are a generally applied strategy that can help individuals deal with alcohol abuse problems. However, the treatment depends on the state of the individual and their level of conscientiousness regarding the problem.
The AUD was researched for many years, with different approaches and concepts applied to the treatment of this condition. For instance, in the 1970s, a more intense treatment process was applied. However, the literature review by Allsop (2017) suggests that “brief interventions,” including CBT, are the most commonly applied strategy that shows promising results. An important aspect is that individuals with AUD have to consent to the treatment in order for it to be successful, which implies recognizing that overconsumption or addiction is a problem in the first place. In this regard, OASAS’s efforts are helpful for raising awareness about substance use disorders.
Ideal World Reflection
Ideally, O. K.’s issues should have been addressed when she was a child since her addiction problems are connected to neglect, abuse, and negative role models of her parents, who also consume alcohol. She did not have a chance to grow up with a positive role model and a support system such as a counselor who would help her avoid developing the AUD in the first place. Hence, a policy tailored towards children whose parents have alcohol consumption problems would be helpful in reducing the possibility of these children having similar problems during their adulthood. This can include additional counseling for these children to help them deal with the trauma caused by witnessing addiction or state-wide policies that would address the question of whether parents with substance abuse issues.
Current regulations are tailored towards limiting the access and availability of alcohol, mainly by controlling the density of alcohol outlets per area, restricting the timeframe and days when they can be sold, and imposing similar regulations. However, little attention is dedicated to helping the 2% that are dealing with the problem on a daily basis, since access to alcohol is only one element of the problem, the other one being the psychological implications, which lead a person to indulge in substance abuse (Stephen, n.d.).
Thus, additional attention should be dedicated to encouraging people to seek treatment, since many of them, as was the case with O. K., are ashamed of their addiction. Hence, the proposal for improving the social conditions that would help address the AUD problem include more attention to children growing up with parents who have substance abuse issues and positive encouragement for people seeking help.
The implementation process of helping children who live with abusive parents would require some type of reporting system that would allow identifying families at risk and referring children to specialists. This can be a problem because it is unlikely that children themselves would report such behavior as they rely on their parents or may not be able to recognize adverse behavior. However, social workers can use some indicators to detect families at risk and arrange consultations with children to identify if they are in need of psychological help. In terms of resources, this would require an expansion of staff for local social services as well as specialists who are trained to work with children.
For the second proposal, an information campaign can be created to help people recognize the warning signs of their developing addiction. The case of O. K. highlights the fact that people often do not recognize this type of a problem or fail to see the underlying causes of it without outside help. This campaign would require input from local authorities and investment for the development of strategy and actual advertising. From this assignment, I learned about the various competencies and strategies that a social worker must apply when working on a client system case. I was able to review the stages of developing a case plan and recognize the value of the strengths-based perspective.
Hyatt, J. M., & Barnes, G. C. (2017). An experimental evaluation of the impact of intensive supervision on the recidivism of high-risk probationers. Crime & Delinquency, 63(1), 3-38.
Scarnato, J. M. (n.d.). The generalist intervention model for social work practice. Web.
Alcohol use disorder has a significant impact on the lives of people who suffer from it and their families. It can cause significant short- and long-term consequences, with approximately 88,000 people dying for alcohol-related causes annually in the United States (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2020). Globally, alcohol misuse is considered to be among the top five risk factors for premature death and disability among adults, and there are over 200 diseases to which alcohol use disorder contributes (NIAAA, 2020). Alcohol use disorder is often challenging to diagnose and treat as it progresses slowly from light, casual alcohol use to binge drinking or regular drinking.
In order to address the rising prevalence of alcohol use disorder, it is essential to apply a comprehensive population health strategy. Firstly, it is necessary to administer diagnostic tools to adults annually via their primary care providers. Secondly, risk factors for alcohol use disorder should be identified during patient examination and history assessment and recorded, and patients with multiple risk factors who drink alcohol regularly should be referred to mental health counseling.
Thirdly, cost-effective interventions should be researched and identified based on randomized controlled trials, which provide high-quality evidence. Primary care providers and social workers should also notify patients about various options for genetic counseling and interventions during routine visits. These steps would help to identify and treat alcohol use disorder in adult populations, thus reducing the burden of this disease.
Social workers play a vital role in addressing alcohol use disorder as they can identify people who are at risk of developing it or fit the diagnostic criteria already and refer them to mental health providers. For example, social workers can mark high-risk clients and share their concerns with primary care providers so that the patient could be assessed during their next visit. Additionally, social workers can identify clients who drink regularly during home visits and provide information about available interventions.
The chosen topic is alcohol dependency by adults, a societal and healthcare problem. The choice is due to various experiences I have witnessed over the last ten years involving my family, friends, and neighbors. Many individuals consume alcohol for different reasons, including the belief that getting drunk can help escape problems, enhance sociability and increase power. Others use alcohol in celebrations for enjoyment and ritualistic purposes. While different people drink alcohol for various motivations, they may lose the ability to control their urges leading to dependence (Saunders et al., 2019). Alcohol dependence is a chronic condition involving a past or present record of excessive drinking, unending craving for alcohol, and persistent, recurring problems associated with the inability to decide when to use the chemical.
The number of people experiencing alcohol dependence is high, which increases death and disabilities. It is estimated that approximately 15 million US adults are experiencing the effect of alcohol disorder (Yeganeh et al., 2022). Alcohol-related issues claim the lives of about 80000 people every year in the US, and it is the third leading cause of death (Yeganeh et al., 2022). Alcohol consumption is common to many, but it becomes a problem when individuals cannot maintain control over when to drink, depending on existing circumstances.
Alcohol dependence is considered a disease indicating that people should avoid viewing it as a moral failing. Addiction or dependency does not happen to weak or immoral individuals but can affect anyone. It is a chemical process that alters the functioning of the brain. Some effects include cognitive problems such as memory loss, learning problems, and mental issues when the situation becomes severe. Various factors are associated with alcohol dependence based on environmental and personal elements. These risk factors include psychological circumstances, genetics, religion, cultural practices, employment status, age, and environment. If an individual has depression and social anxiety are more likely to become alcohol dependent compared to the rest of the population. People who have psychological disorders likely turn to alcohol as a manner of coping with their difficulties. For instance, several schizophrenia patients believe the drug helps calm their situation and elevate their moods. This occasionally happens with individuals uncomfortable with prescribed medication or find such drugs to have unpleasant side effects.
Personal traits influence the risk of alcohol addiction because they determine people’s choices in day-to-day activities. For instance, individuals with a habit of pursuing or disregarding risks are likely to drink excess alcohol despite knowing the side effects. When one believes that alcohol will improve their confidence and comfort, they are likely to drink excess to show others that they are excellent at conversations and interactions in social settings. Those who perceive alcohol as a cause of negative behaviors are likely to avoid using it excessively (Anker & Kushner, 2019). Different factors combine and integrate to cause alcohol dependence in individuals, which creates a possibility of experiencing withdrawal symptoms after cessation.
The audience for this presentation is an Employee Assistance Professional (EAP) tasked with providing workplace services to employees struggling with alcohol dependence. The EAP program can connect the workforce to specialists who offer behavioral health services and working treatment alternatives (Philips et al., 2022). EAP professionals can offer individual assessments, consultation, counseling, and treatment referrals. Such efforts are crucial for fighting and correcting alcohol dependency in the workplace.
Alcohol leaves families confused and unhappy with the loss of control by individuals suffering from the effects of dependence. The situation is a burden for victims and their loved ones who wish to work as a team in treatment. However, the bible states, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). God is willing to help individuals undergo the difficult recovery process to gain control of their lives.
References
Anker, J. J., & Kushner, M. G. (2019). Co-occurring alcohol use disorder and anxiety: bridging psychiatric, psychological, and neurobiological perspectives. Alcohol research: Current Reviews, 40(1).
Philips, S. B., Cagnon, D. A., Buehler, D. L., Remón, M. E., & Waldecker, T. R. (2022). Employee Assistance Programs in Higher Education (pp. 7-25). Routledge.
Saunders, J. B., Degenhardt, L., Reed, G. M., & Poznyak, V. (2019). Alcohol use disorders in ICD‐11: Past, present, and future. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 43(8), 1617-1631. Web.
The study will focus on the relationship between mood/attitude and impaired control in the context of alcohol consumption. The purpose of the study is to identify whether certain moods or attitudes result in a greater likelihood of impaired control during alcohol consumption in regular nondependent drinkers. The premise stems from some evidence indicating that problematic alcohol drinking behaviors may arise from different emotional states.
The rationale behind the interest in testing the idea
This idea seemed interesting to test because problematic alcohol consumption that is both a cause and a consequence of impaired control are often driven not just by the addictive properties of alcohol as a drug, but external factors as well. The original study by Vaughan et al. (2019) established that there is a relation between impaired control leading to impulsivity and alcohol intake in non-dependent drinkers. This study aims to identify factors that may lead to impaired control from a psycho-emotional perspective. Alcohol use disorder is defined as problematic patterns of alcohol consumption associated with impulsivity, impaired control over intake, and negative emotional state when not using. Therefore, emotional states of the individual may play a role in the cyclical nature of this disorder.
Hypothesis
H1: Nondependent drinkers demonstrating impaired control while consuming alcohol are experiencing negative emotional states including but not limited to depression, anxiety, grief, or anger.
H2: Nondependent drinkers experience fewer instances of impaired control when in a positive emotional state including but not limited to happiness, excitement, or calmness.
Overall, the study expects to demonstrate that negative emotional states lead to greater instances of impaired control, while positive emotional states tend to reduce impaired control. Therefore, problematic drinking behavior can be dependent on mood and regulated, potentially limiting impaired control if being aware of one’s emotional state or doing something to improve it without relying on alcohol.
The key variables in the study
Variables
Nothing is being manipulated, longitudinal study. Variables that will be measured include mood of the participant, alcohol consumption patterns, and subjective reflection by participant. The mood/emotional state of the participant is the independent variable, while alcohol consumption is the dependent variable in this study.
Operational definitions
Mood of participant will be measured on a simple scale from -10 (most negative) to +10 (most positive) that is self-reported every time the individual chooses to consume alcohol. Alcohol consumption will be measured by number of drinks consumed and approximate time spent drinking to identify impaired control, also self-reported. The NIAAA defines heavy drinking for males as consuming more than 4 drinks per day or more than 14 per week, while binge drinking is 5 or more drinks in the span of 2 hours. The participants will be asked to leave a short reflection with subjective descriptions on emotions they felt prior and during the drinking process and whether their emotional state contributed to their alcohol consumption.
Sample Characteristics
The study would like to focus on young adults and middle-aged adults, aged 24 to 45. This population is most likely to be affected by problematic drinking behavior and experience life-affecting conditions. Populations younger are still likely to be affected by ‘college drinking’ where alcohol is part of the social culture, while adults older are typically more mature and settled down in life. The selected age range is most likely to be affected by the so-called mid-life crisis and other major key life changes in human development. The study would like to focus on men primarily, as evidence demonstrates that there are empirical differences in the patterns that women consume alcohol as well as other influencing factors. The selected sample must be nondependent drinkers but those who experience issues with problematic alcohol consumption.
The type of methodology of the study
The research design
The study will follow a cohort longitudinal design, with self-reported survey data collection. It will be a special exposure cohort, closed study, with no comparison group. Using multinomial logistic regression, many data points of several people and time, certain patterns should emerge allowing to determine the strength of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
The rationale behind the choice of the research design
This research design was selected because it offers a more realistic, real-world insight into the observed behavior. Both, emotional states and emotional alcohol consumption in relation to impaired control are extremely difficult to recreate in a research setting. Emotions are felt by individuals in the moment based on their existing contexts and interactions. The longitudinal design helps to provide more data points and draw patterns in such a complex topic, as emotional drinking can be both, a one-time occurrence or a constant behavior. That is, a person may demonstrate impaired control over multiple drinking sessions, but only one of them is because they are depressed, while the rest are just due to addiction. The collection of data over time will demonstrate any such tendencies or variations in the relationship between variables.
Study procedure and methodology
Over a period of 6 months, participants will be asked to fill out a survey with the variables described above, after they have completed a drinking session. Participants will be neither encouraged to drink at any point or have to meet any minimal requirements in alcohol consumption. The study is meant to be observational with minimal disruption to daily patterns of participants. The survey will be quick to fill out after any drinking session, with participants encouraged to be fully honest without any diagnosis being made based on their results. It is assumed sufficient amount of data will be gathered. Through the surveys, the research team can determine an association between mood/attitude and alcohol consumption behavior, whether certain emotions lead to levels associated with impaired control. This experimental design is ethical and voluntary, it is not encouraging detrimental behavior but simply collecting data based on events and behaviors that have happened to individuals. No harm will be caused to anyone or anything as a consequence of this experiment.
Reference
Vaughan, C. L., Stangl, B. L., Schwandt, M. L., Corey, K. M., Hendershot, C. S., & Ramchandani, V. A. (2019). The relationship between impaired control, impulsivity, and alcohol self-administration in nondependent drinkers. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 27(3), 236–246. Web.
“Without Alcohol, The World Would Be a Better Place” is an argumentative essay that conveys the message of alcohol’s harm to society. Trying to convince the readers of repercussions of drinking alcohol, the author uses a combination of Pathos and Logos, with a heavier emphasis on emotional means of articulating ideas. The choice of strategy also impacts the overall organization of the essay, which circumvents the classical structure. While the author accomplishes the ultimate goal of persuading the readers, the extensive use of Pathos harms the cohesion of the text as well as the credibility of the argumentation.
Rhetorical Strategy
The author chose Pathos as the primary writing strategy for the essay. It starts with a dramatic story that is meant to impact the readers on the emotional level. The author uses short phrases like “they died instantly” to provoke horror in readers (Argumentative Essay Examples, para. 11). It is followed by statistical data on the number of people dying every day because of driving while under alcohol, which indicates Logos. However, the statistics serve as an emotional persuasion tool: “in less time than it takes someone to watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones, someone will be killed due to drunk driving” (Argumentative Essay Examples, para. 13). The author uses this combination throughout the entire text, creating the impression of conducted research and adding validity to their argumentation.
The writer’s reliance on the fuse of rhetorical appeals is evident further in the text. At numerous points, questions are used to deliver the idea, for instance, “Why is alcohol so pervasive if it is a choice?” (Argumentative Essay Examples, para. 15). It is a subtle yet manipulative way to provoke an emotional response by appealing to the mind. The author also uses conditional clauses to rationalize the harm of alcohol and the necessity of its limitation: “what if the gateway to bad decisions was removed?” (Argumentative Essay Examples, para. 17). The essay closes with another emotional story and a lesson that the author wants the readers to learn – the prohibition of alcohol can prevent many deaths and incarcerations. The text is notable for the complete absence of Ethos since the author does not make any references to themselves aside from their noble intentions. Instead, the essay follows Pathos with Logos strengthening the argumentative side of the text.
Organization and Structure
As this is an argumentative essay, the author follows most of its conventions. The story begins introduces the core problem the writes wants to address, with their stance shown in the thesis statement: “If alcohol was banned, there would be a reduction in violent crimes and a diminished number of vehicular manslaughter cases” (Argumentative Essay Examples, para. 11). The writer uses statistical data to support the idea of the influence of alcohol consumption on students’ irrational actions, sexual crimes, substance use, and mortality rates in car accidents. The author also refers to the statistics to point out alcohol use as a public and social issue in America. From the perspective of asserting one’s viewpoint, the essay is definitely coherent.
However, there are some critical elements missing in the organization of the essay. For example, the author chose to neglect the opposing viewpoint altogether. There is no consideration given to the positive aspects of alcohol consumption. Instead, the writer unequivocally condemns alcohol, arguing to ban it for everyone: “Why should it be placed in anyone’s hands as a tempting invitation to death’s door?” (Argumentative Essay Examples, para. 11). The other aspect of essay that is missing is the proper structure of the text. The author starts paragraphs with the arguments and citations, without introducing the idea they are supposed to support. As a result, the text is baffling and not easy for readers to take in.
Conclusion
This essay has several strengths that should be pointed out. Firstly, its overall narrative is persuasive due to the proper use of Pathos. Secondly, the author references factual and statistical data, improving the veracity of its arguments. Thirdly, the author is consistent in reasoning for the detrimental effect alcohol has on society. Finally, the underlying intention of the author is noble as they aspire to eliminate the negative consequences caused by alcohol consumption. The balance between emotions and logic, consistency and nobility of ideas create a meaningful essay with a clear well-argued stance.
However, there are two aspects that substantially weaken the quality of the writing. First and foremost, the author’s position is notably one-sided, with no overview given to the opposing viewpoint. This can be solved by adding a section about supporters of alcohol, their arguments and subsequent author’s rebuttal. Secondly, the essay suffers from a poor presentation of ideas. While the general message is clear, text composition obstructs its readability. The author could improve the readers’ perception by properly structuring paragraphs and ideas. Altogether, the essay is effective in emotional persuasion, however, the author excessively uses Pathos to the detriment of the overall structure and composition.
Alcohol abuse among the teens presents serious health and social concerns. In particular, underage drinking is linked to many adverse health effects such as memory loss, impaired neurological development, and poor academic performance among the youth. The social effects are even more disturbing.
Risky sexual behaviors, impaired decision-making, drug addiction, substance abuse, youth crime, violence, and dangerous driving are some of the effects associated with youth alcohol abuse. While alcohol abuse may be attributed to a number of factors, alcohol advertising is a significant contributing factor to youth alcohol abuse.
Drinking patterns among youth of different races is different. Previous studies involving comparisons of drinking patterns and their effects upon the white and African Americans reveal that alcohol is the most abused drug among the African American youth (Wallace et al., 1999, p.806). This implies that the differences in culture, historical perspectives and worldviews with regard to alcohol consumption have significant influence on behavior patterns involving the Whites and the African American youths.
National surveys have established that “heavy drinking among remained high among African Americans of age group 18-29, while it declined for Whites of the same age group between 1984 and 1995” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004, p. 2).
However, the African Americans show comparatively higher rates of alcohol abstention compared to their White or Hispanic counterparts. In 2003, the monthly alcohol use for African Americans stood at 54.4% compared to 41.5% and 24.2% of Whites and Hispanics respectively (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004, p. 4).
Among the risk factors for the relatively high alcohol use among African Americans, are the liberal parental attitudes towards drinking, high number of alcohol stores in residential areas and effects of advertisements. Alcohol abuse has many social and health effects that affect African American teens compared to any other youths across the world.
Alcohol Abuse among African American Teens
Alcohol is one of the drugs commonly abused by teens particularly among the African American youth. With regard to binge drinking and heavy alcohol use among teens older than 12 years, African Americans lead with 43% of them abusing alcohol compared to 38% Whites (Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, 2005).
This indicates that heavy alcohol use or alcohol dependence is highest among the African American teens than any other group. However, according to the same report, African American youth drink less in a given duration than other youths. In 2003, 19.8% of African American teens compared to 31.6% of whites of between12 and 20 years abused alcohol within the last month.
Additionally, only 7% of African American youth compared to 21.7 % of Whites of between 12 and 20 years engaged in “binge drinking” within the last 30 days (Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, 2005). Gender differences exist, where alcohol consumption is high among male youth compared to female.
Nevertheless, in overall, alcohol consumption among African American is still highest and has the most significant effects upon African Americans compared to other youth. In contrast, illicit drug use among the youth is lowest among African American teens compared to other groups.
According to Caetano, Clark, and Tam (1998, p. 233), African American youth consume fewer drugs compared to White or Hispanic youth. However, substance abuse in all the youth groups starts at an average age of 12. Although African American youths are less prone to illicit drug use, they are more affected socially by substance abuse (Hawkins, Catalano, & Miller, 1992, p.67).
This explains the high social and health effects of drug use among African Americans compared to other youth. Further, according to Johnson et al., (2005), African Americans are “less likely to experiment with illicit drugs than Whites are, but are more prone to addiction to the same drugs than White youths” (p. 27). In other words, the consequences of drug use are more serious in African American youth than any other group.
In addition, the risk factors for the apparent high alcohol use among the African American youth are many. In particular, the attitudes of parents towards drinking, directly or indirectly, influence the drinking patterns among the youth.
According to Hawkins et al. (1992, p. 75), liberal drinking attitudes or parental substance abuse will more likely lead to liberal drinking attitudes on the youth, which results to frequent drinking.
By implication, liberal attitudes of African American adults towards drinking or substance abuse due to the cultural significance attached, contributes to drinking patterns experienced among African American youth. The high concentration of liquor stores is arguably another risk factor for alcohol abuse among youth.
Further, Wallace et al., (1999, p.801) argue that drinking problems among the African American youth are a result of primarily trying to cope with stress through avoidance. In comparison, the White youth do not abuse alcohol as a means of avoiding stress. Of most significance, however, is the effect of the media on drinking patterns among African American youth.
Youth Alcohol Use and Family Influence
In African American homes, parent alcohol use strongly influences alcohol use among adolescents. (Johnson et al., 2005, p. 31) argues that, the parent or peer modeling with regard to alcohol use is predictive of adolescent alcohol abuse. This indicates the relative importance of parents or peers in influencing alcohol use among youth.
Use of alcohol or drugs by siblings or family members also indirectly influences alcohol consumption through its impact on family relationships or parenting in general (Hawkins et al., 1992, p. 103). According to Caetano et al., “the risk factors for problem behavior among the youth are as a result of family substance abuse or poor parenting practices” (1998, p. 236). Thus, family involvement in alcohol use is predictive of later development of alcohol abuse among adolescents.
Interactions between parents and their children also influence the development of problematic behavior patterns at their teens. Additionally, the interactions influence the early onset of alcohol use and substance use. Wong et al. (2004, p. 129) argue that, poor interactions between parents and children often result to early substance or alcohol use among adolescents.
Further, family cohesion, serves to delay the onset of alcohol consumption among adolescents. In contrast, strained family relationships are risk factors to early alcohol use. Additionally, factors such as economic hardships often result to strained family relations, which result to early alcohol use among adolescents. Demographically, a high percentage of African Americans youth behavior is influenced by family or parental relationships.
Economic constraints increase family conflicts, which disrupt parenting and by extension, family relationships. Raising children under these stressful conditions may compromise close supervision and discipline, which makes children prone to problematic behavior including but not limited to alcohol abuse.
Indeed, other factors such as divorce or unemployment are predictive of children behavioral problems (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2007). In this context, studies reveal that prevalence rates for alcohol use is high among minority youths including the African American youth.
Welte and Barnes (1987, p.333) established that, the prevalence rate for alcohol use is high among the African American youth though early initiation is high among the White youth. White parents also take a more proactive role in managing their family through close monitoring of the children.
Consequently, the White youth are less likely to exhibit problematic behaviors especially with regard to substance use. In contrast, fewer protective factors for African American youth imply that they have a high likelihood of engaging in drug or alcohol use early in their teens. Among African American youth, heavy drinking relates to low income, while among White youth, it relates to high income or affluence.
The Effects of Advertisements
The youth culture among African American youth is associated with alcoholic products’ advertisements. This occurs through print media, radio and television advertisements, and musical and video content. The media alcohol advertisements have the most profound effects among African American youth than any other group. According to a Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth report, 77% of African American youth viewed more alcohol ads on the media than non-African American youth in 2002 (2003, p. 2).
In particular, “beer, spirits and other alcohol drinks’ advertisements on magazines, on average, reached more African American youth audience of age 21-34” (Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, 2003, p.1). This age group is the target audience of most print media advertisements. In contrast, the same report indicates that while 83% of Whites saw print media alcohol ads on magazines, 96% of African American viewed a higher number of alcohol ads over the same period (Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, 2003, p.1).
With regard to radio advertising and music, African American youth listened to more alcohol advertising than a non-African American of the same age bracket in 2002. This provides evidence of the high media influence on drinking patterns among the youth particularly the African American youth. In addition, contemporary music hits, popular among the African American youth such as hip-hop, R&B and rap account for most of the alcohol ads.
Of concern is the popularity of this music among underage youth, which influences underage drinking among the African American youth. The effects of popular music are far-reaching because of their frequent reference to alcohol. Songs such as rap, rock and hippo, which are popular among African American youth, make more references to alcohol thus indirectly influencing their drinking patterns.
According to Alaniz (1998, p. 286), 48% of popular rap songs between 1996 and 1997 refer to specified brands of alcohol. In television advertisements, popular programs are accompanied with beer advertisements with majority involving a relatively high number of African American youth.
Effects of Alcohol Advertising on Alcohol Consumption
Most often, alcohol advertisements use techniques that are appealing to the youth who form the target audience of such ads. In particular, certain aspects of alcohol advertising are more appealing to the youth compared to adults. It is this marketing strategy and the popularity of media used to carry such ads that influence underage drinking among the youth especially the African American youth. Alaniz notes that, components of alcohol ads such as music, animation, popular music and humor are more appealing to the youth (1998, p.292).
Endorsements by popular celebrities also influence adolescents to engage in underage drinking. Peer influence compounded by the message content of the alcohol ads encourages the youth to buy and use alcohol products. Normally, the ads, especially those with celebrity endorsements, imply that drinking leads to popularity or social success.
These effects are more pronounced among African Americans compared to the other youth group. Evidently, alcohol advertising has potential influence on youth drinking patterns particularly with regard to the onset of drinking, alcohol addiction and the levels of alcohol consumption. These have more influence on African American youth leading to alcohol addiction, antisocial behaviors and adverse health effects from alcohol overconsumption.
Alcohol advertising has a direct relationship with the onset of drinking among the youth. It shapes the attitudes and perceptions of youth with regard to their expectations of alcohol consumption, which ultimately influences their drinking decisions (Maddahian et al., 1998, p. 19).
As a result, more often, interactions among the youth revolve around alcohol ads, internalizing the messages, and later engage in the actual drinking. Among African American youths, trends where alcohol advertising, through television and music, influences the onset of drinking are common. According to Alaniz, increased access to information about beer during promotions or passive alcohol ads on radio or music is predictive of early onset of drinking (1998, p. 287).
Outdoor advertising of alcohol near schools is a considerable risk factor of early onset of drinking. A study established that, “schools with more than 20% Hispanic or African American students experience more alcohol advertising than schools with less Hispanic or African American youth” (Welte & Barnes, 1987, p.336).
Outdoor advertising also influences the level of consumption or “binge drinking” among the youth of African American descent. According to Maddahian et al., (1998, p. 17), a direct relationship exists between “binge drinking” and alcohol advertising. In other words, more alcohol advertising influences more drinking among the youth. By implication, since more African American youth watch alcohol advertising on the media than any youth, they are bound to drink more than any group.
Effects of Alcohol on African American Teens
Heavy alcohol consumption among African American youth raises much concern especially due to its adverse social and health effects. In particular, alcohol related mortalities resulting from risky behaviors due to alcohol influence are high among African American than White groups. Bry, McKeon, and Pandina study revealed that, mortality rates related to alcohol remained consistently high between 1979 and 1989 compared to White youth in the same period (1991, p.273).
Among the risky behaviors that often result to deaths or fatal injuries, include drunken driving, risky sexual behaviors, and violent criminal activities. Welte and Barnes (1987) posit that, among African American youths of 12-20 years, “the three leading causes of fatalities include suicide, fatal injuries and homicide” (p.337).
These causes often arise in situations of heavy alcohol consumption and/or substance abuse. This shows that African American youths are prone to homicide or suicide due to the influence of alcohol or substance abuse.
Additionally, alcohol related illnesses are alarming high among African American youth compared to White youth. Alcohol addiction and alcohol related disorders such as liver cirrhosis, affect a large number of African American adults due to heavy alcohol consumption in their teenage years.
The disparity arises because African American youths engage in heavy alcohol consumption or “binge drinking” for the better part of their lives compared to White youth. Thus, late onset alcohol-related illnesses are relatively high among African American youth than White youth. As they age, African Americans suffer a high number of alcohol-related disorders than any racial group in the population.
Though Whites and African Americans exhibit similar frequency of heavy drinking, African Americans are more likely to develop fatal alcohol related illnesses such as liver cirrhosis or die of alcohol related car accidents (Bry, McKeon, & Pandina, 1998, p. 274). Additionally alcohol and substance abuse is related to poor academic performance among youth attending schools or colleges.
Alcohol consumption among African American youth often results from high alcohol dependence compared to other youth. In this context, racial and personal identities play a significant role. In general, youth behavior reflects youth’s self-perception, which influences his or her decision to experiment with drugs including alcohol.
Caetano et al., (1998, p. 234) argues that, African American youths identify more with African American and African cultures as a way of defining their sense of self. He suggests that personal identity or racial group identity among African American is high. In most African cultures, alcohol consumption is a common practice during traditional ceremonies or spiritual occasions.
Alcohol Consumption and Youth Violence
High intake of alcohol is one of the risk factors that fuels youth violence. Youth violence entails different forms of violence ranging from gang violence, sexual violence and bullying. Alcohol related youth violence is considerably high among African American youth than any youth (Maddahian et al., 1998, p. 21).
The links between alcohol and youth violence with particular regard to African American youth are many. Societal and cultural beliefs among African American youth, with regard to the effects of alcohol such as rise in confidence or aggression following alcohol consumption, make the youth more prone to violence or perpetrators of violence.
Additionally, the youth consume alcohol in preparation for fights or engagement in violence, which can sometimes be fatal. In this case, witnessing of aggression or violence encourages alcohol over consumption as a way of coping with the traumatic violent experiences. Furthermore, among African American youth alcohol consumption is associated with certain rituals of culture gangs.
These gangs often engage in violent practices or social problems such as crime (SAMHSA, 2008). Other alcohol effects on African American youth include partner violence or aggression, which feature in relationship among the youth.
In general, among African American youth, alcohol consumption influence personal and group identity that in turn affect outcomes such as the tendency to engage in violence, academic performance, substance use and juvenile delinquency (Caetano et al., 1998, 238).
African Americans are mostly group drinkers consuming alcohol in groups as friends or family. Therefore, alcohol use among African American youth results to a strong identification with a group, which causes social problems such as violence or aggression, poor academic performance and drug use.
Conclusion
Alcohol consumption among the youth raises much concern especially due to its health and social consequences. In general, on average, African Americans drink less heavily compared to White or Hispanic youth but experience many alcohol-related complications such as liver cirrhosis.
Among the risk factors, which contribute to heavy alcohol consumption among African American youth include the family influence through a parent or sibling alcohol use, lack of family cohesion and poor parenting practices. Additionally, factors such as cultural and personal attitudes, which are more, pronounced among African American youth influences their drinking habits.
The health effects of alcohol consumption include liver cirrhosis and other alcohol-related illnesses that are high among African Americans. Youth violence, high cases of homicides, suicides and risky behaviors are the other alcohol effects among African American youth. Because of numerous alcohol abuse risk factors, alcohol use affects African Americans more than any other youths.
Reference List
Alaniz, M. (1998). Alcohol availability and targeted advertising in racial/ethnic Communities. Alcohol Health Res World. 22, 286-292.
Bry, B., McKeon, P., & Pandina, R. (1998). Extent of drug use as a function of number Of risk factors. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 91, 273-279.
Caetano, R., Clark, C., &Tam, T. (1998). Alcohol consumption among racial/ethnic Minorities: theory and research. Alcohol Health Res World, 22, 233–238.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2004). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance-United States, 2003. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 53, 1-4.
Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. (2003). Exposure of African-American Youth to Alcohol Advertising. Web.
Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. (2005). Exposure of Hispanic Youth to Alcohol Advertising, 2003-2004. Web.
Hawkins, J., Catalano, F., & Miller, J. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: Implications for prevention. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 64-105.
Johnson, L., O’Malley, P., Bachman, J., & Schulenberg, J. (2005). Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2004: Volume I, Secondary School Students Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Maddahian, E., Newcomb, D., & Bentler, P. (1998). Risk factors for substance use: Ethnic differences among adolescents. Journal of Substance Abuse, 1(6), 11-23.
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (2007). 10 Leading Causes of Death, United States 2006, Black, Non-Hispanic, Both Sexes. Web.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2008).
Results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. Rockville, MD: DHHS Publications.
Wallace, J., Forman, T., Guthrie, B., Bachman, G., O’Malley, P., & Johnston, L. (1999). The Epidemiology of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use among Black Youth. J Stud Alcohol, 60(4), 800-809.
Welte, J., & Barnes, G. (1987). Alcohol use among adolescent minority groups. J Stud Alcohol, 48,329–336.
Wong, M., Klingle, R., & Price, R. (2004). Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among Asian American and Pacific Islander Adolescents in California and Hawaii. Addict Behav, 29(6): 127-141.
A complete cessation of alcohol production or making the consumption of alcohol illegal is highly unlikely and possibly unproductive. However, the production, marketing, and distribution of alcohol are in need of increased monitoring as poorly regulated alcohol consumption often leads to detrimental and tragic results. Harmful alcohol consumption can be dangerous not only to the consumer through alcohol poisoning and illnesses but to those around them in the case of drunk driving or criminal behavior. Young people, even adolescents, are especially susceptible to alcohol consumption and the hazards which come with it. As such, the current landscape of alcohol production and marketing requires heavier regulation in the form of a number of policy changes.
Though much alcohol-centered advertising is not focused on young people or adolescents, they are still just as likely to encounter it and become susceptible to marketing. As such, it is an important primary step in a strategy to curb inappropriate and dangerous alcohol consumption. The current issue within marketing industries in regards to alcohol is the application of sophisticated promotional techniques, such as the creation of a relationship between drinking and sports, cultural activities, enticing product placements, and other recreational acts (World Health Organization, 2019). A possible solution to remedying the effects of such dangerous advertising includes policy changes that consist of regulating content and volume of marketing, the relationship between alcohol and activities targeted at younger people, and moderating emerging advertising techniques such as those seen on social media.
All consumers of alcohol, including heavy drinkers and younger people are sensitive to changes in the pricing of beverages. Pricing policies would be especially effective in curbing the number of underage drinkers as they are usually unable to obtain funds for such activities. Currently, the increase in the price of alcoholic drinks is the most effective in creating an intervention in order to reduce the harmful consumption of alcohol. The strategy hinges on effective taxation that does not encourage consumers to move to other drinks, especially younger people who are most easily harmed by harmful alcohol use.
Perhaps the most important strategy would be one that decreases the negative consequences of drinking and intoxication. The problem is not in the alcohol consumption inherently, but in the danger it poses to intoxicated individuals including accidents, violence, medical conditions, and other factors. As such, regulations that aim to consult the harmful outcomes or behaviors as a result of alcohol are the ones that should be prioritized. Policy changes could include the serving of drinks in non-dangerous plastic bottles, management of responsible drinking in certain areas, and providing care and shelter for severely intoxicated people. These changes are likely to elevate the cases of hazardous outcomes as a result of alcohol consumption. Most of these policies will address the behaviors within environments that are appropriate for drinking and by limiting drinking to certain areas, the negative consequences of intoxication can be better monitored.
The current state of alcohol regulation is unsatisfactory as it leads to a number of detrimental results such as underage drinking, driving accidents, medical consequences, and a number of other dangerous outcomes. While alcohol consumption is not the direct source of these issues, the current marketing, pricing, and management of alcohol production and distribution does not address the hazards of intoxication and needs better regulation. As such, policy changes that address the issues at the core are essential.
Drinking of alcohol by young people has been viewed for a long period, as a vice to be condemned, yet the quarters that condemn it are still the ones that promote drinking. Age has been implied as a factor to be considered on whether one should take alcohol or not. In my opinion, the average minimum drinking age should be lowered to eighteen years of age because various sources have shown that drinking alcohol for many youths begins as early as the age of eleven years. (Cucchiaro and Ferreira 17). This implies that even if in the law it is illegal for such underage to drink alcohol, there have been many loopholes, which allow teenagers to access alcohol at a very young age. Unless proper mechanisms are put in place, increasing the minimum drinking age is of little or no effect.
Increasing the minimum drinking age to twenty-one years serves as an undoing in the fight against underage drinking. Humans have nature, which craves for the forbidden. As the saying goes that forbidden water tastes sweetest proves to be right, when alcohol is forbidden to youths who are above eighteen years, it tends to heighten curiosity and the desire to know why they are not being allowed to drink. This leads to unregulated drinking in binges and in parties where they have exposure to alcohol. Recent researches have shown that in states where their minimum drinking age has been lowered to eighteen years of age have lower rates of underage drinking compared to states that had their minimum drinking age being twenty-one years.
It is also a fact that excessive consumption of alcohol is harmful irrespective of one’s age. Legal drinkers, as well as underage drinkers, have caused many accidents. Those who want to justify and politicize the causes of many automobile accidents, which are caused by alcohol, only use age as an excuse. Though there are instances where many teenagers have lost lives after driving when drunk, there are twice as many cases of people above the age of twenty-one years who have been involved in drunken-driving accidents? (Clark and Firkins 33) Policymakers should therefore not blame the age of drinkers but the negligence of the drinkers.
Another problem, which has been associated with the minimum drinking age of twenty-one years, is the massive crackdown on young people by authorities. The immense crackdown gets many young people in prisons and jails often exposing them to drugs such as cocaine and massive resentment towards authorities who they feel are harassing them for no apparent reason. There is also a tendency by authorities to arrest only the young people while sparing the merchants who sell alcohol to them.
In Conclusion, the age limitation of alcohol drinking should be of eighteen years rather than twenty-one years. This is because by the age of eighteen years the young person is a mature person capable of making reasonable decisions based on the proper cognitive evaluation. The legal redress of underage drinking should not be addressed by having a higher age limit but through compulsory education on the effects of alcohol on young people. The education will serve a better purpose in portraying the effects of alcohol drinking such as accidents, diseases such as liver cirrhosis among others. This will go a long way in curbing underage drinking rather than putting an age limit on whom to drink.
Works Cited
Clark, Fredrick and Firkins, Douglass. The Effect of Lower Legal Drinking Ages on Youth. California: Highway Safety Research Institute, 1974. Print.
Cucchiaro, Steve and Ferreira, Joseph. The Effect of the 18-Year-Old Drinking Age on Auto Accidents. Massachusetts: Institute of Technology, 1974. Print.
Alcohol consumption can have various effects on the people who consume it. The effects may be social, psychological, physiological and medical. Some alcoholic brands (like wine) may have positive effects on our health while others (like spirits) may have negative effects. The duration in which a person consumes alcohol determines the intensity of the negative effects of alcohol on the person. One negative effect of alcohol is the damage of body organs like the liver and the colon, when consumed for a long period of time (Cooper, 2000).
Discussion
Alcohol is categorized as a depressant due to its ability to slow down the nervous system thereby reducing sensitivity to pain through inducement of sleep like feeling. Some of the immediate impacts of alcohol misuse include lack or loss of one’s awareness, distortion of reality, loss of coordination of the brain activities and one’s motor skills (Toppness, 2011). When used for a long time, it leads to addiction, as well as social and economic irresponsibilities by the addicted individuals (Toppness, 2011).
Research has shown that alcohol consumption is a risk factor to colon cancer. However, the type of alcohol brand matters. While wine may have positive impacts in preventing colon cancer, hard liquor like spirits have been found to increase the chances of alcoholics developing colon cancer. Prolonged alcohol consumption also leads to colon irritation, which in turn leads to diarrhoea and constipation (Toppness, 2011). This can make the individuals lose their appetite and become malnourished. Such individuals may end up being socially and economically irresponsible, which may further lead to depression. The depressed individuals become prone to suicide because their thinking and reasoning becomes impaired, and to them, life loses meaning.
Nursing intervention
Patients who are addicted to alcohol consumption need to be shown love and care not rebuke and contempt. This is one aspect of the nursing profession and other professions like social work. We should show them love and care through talking to them in a courteous manner, and showing them that they are able to come out of their situation.
Many alcohol addicts have their symptoms as adaptive. This means that they develop or acquire some behaviour which helps them cope with the problems they are facing; one such behaviour is alcohol consumption, which later develops into alcohol misuse or abuse. For example, some may assume or think that other people hate them because they are poor or are of low social status. This is an external pressure to them, and in order for them to safeguard their ego, they engage in alcohol consumption in order to cope in staying with the people who hate them. Our intervention should therefore be centred on behaviour and attitude change.
We should show them that alcohol consumption is not the solution to their problems and help them gain the courage to face life the way it is. We should help them acquire new behaviours which are not depended on alcohol. For instance, they could be helped to boost their people’s skills, their confidence as well as improve on their hygiene, which would boost their self-esteem. These interventions could be done in a community setting or at their homes. In severe cases of addiction, they should be taken to rehabilitation, where they could be helped to recover from withdrawal symptoms.
Conclusion
Even though alcohol can have many negative effects on our bodies, it is a good component of our diet when used properly in the right quantities and frequencies. For instance, it makes our meals complete apart from being used as a social drink. Alcohol consumption therefore becomes dangerous to us and our bodies when we misuse it. Alcohol consumption is regarded as a risk factor in causing colon cancer because it causes diarrhoea and inflammation of the colon. The link is however not clearly established and therefore the need for more research to establish the relationship between alcohol consumption and colon cancer (Hales, 2008).