Underage DrinkingThere are a number of reasons why teenagers feel the need to drink. The social environment, peer influence, stress, and even factors such as media influence contribute to underage drinking. Peer pressure is also a well-known practice among adolescents. Americans have a burning desire to be accepted and appreciated by their peers. Everyone wants to feel a sense of belonging. Many teenagers feel the need to drink alcohol to gain this acceptance from those around them. Stress is also another reason why teenagers may feel inclined to drink alcohol. Stress causes adolescents to seek a quick escape from the problems they face in their everyday lives. This quick escape comes in the form of a bottle. In the eyes of an underage drinker, alcohol is the cure for all problems, a way to forget all the stress and pressures he faces. They feel like it will numb their pain and that continuing to drink may lead to another problem, drug addiction. Young people grow up seeing their parents and other adults toasting wine and champagne on special occasions, and casually enjoying a few. beers at a picnic. Today, alcoholic beverages are often as common at business lunches as they are at college parties. Underage drinking is a huge problem that everyone has to deal with. Underage drinking has devastating effects not only on those who drink, but also on our society. “Young people illegally consume nearly 3.6 billion drinks per year, or 10 million drinks per day.” I started drinking very young. I must have been at least nine years old when my father gave my brother and I our first pony. A pony is a small bottle of beer of your choice. My father only preferred Michelob. My father surprises my broth...... middle of paper ......such as; sports, clubs, movies, hanging out with friends, etc. You can find many other activities that can do you good. Underage drinking causes people to make bad decisions, such as: driving drunk, getting pregnant, and making complete fools of themselves. Being drunk, these are just a few instances that can and will impact your life forever. Some people don't really understand the effects of alcohol on the body. Beer contains empty calories that will make you gain weight. This is why many alcoholics have larger stomachs, or another term that many people use for these large stomachs is "beer belly." Some people may say that alcohol helps you escape your problems and is a stressor. Alcohol will not only bring more stress into your life, it will also lead to more problems. Even though people may think alcohol helps, it won't really help them..