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UNDERAGE DRINKING
In order for success to be achieved in the fight against drugs among teenagers, intervention strategies should be supported from all sectors of life. Heads of learning institutions, for instance, should offer an opportunity for tutors to hold discussions and ponder on the way forward as far as this issue is concerned. They should also make sure that professionals are available to offer counseling services to students who find themselves in alcohol related problems (Bonnie & O'Connell, 2004).
The other way through which this problem can be minimized is by eliminating the selffulfilling mentality of young persons who engage in alcohol abuse. Young people believe that engaging in alcoholism is a sign of maturity. Breaking this misnomer is an important step in the fight against underage drinking. Studies have shown that eliminating misperceptions of alcohol and drugs abuse is one of the most efficient modalities of reducing the rate of abuse among young persons (United States Congress, 2010).
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Nevertheless, misguided efforts such as likening alcohol to illicit drugs can be counterproductive. It may create a false impression among the young people that adults, parents included, who take alcohol are indeed drug abusers. Classifying alcohol under drugs may encourage its use even more. The fight against alcoholism should not create mysteries, but rather it should offer an easy way out of this problem (Ellul, 2008).
It can therefore be concluded that even though underage intake of alcohol has become a major social problem in the twenty first century, extensive campaigns along with education pertaining to the effects of this social problem can be used to prevent it and also tackle it effectively. So as to enhance the fight against underage alcoholism, parents and educators should take up the responsibility of enlightening young people that alcoholism, besides leading to socially unacceptable behaviors, can result in death. Additionally, schools should focus on instructing students on drugs in addition to helping them develop the capacity together with attitudes that will make it easy for them to avoid drugs.
