Why Do Kids Try Alcohol?
Here are the top three reasons kids gave when asked why they try alcohol: • to look cool • to see what it’s like • because other kids are doing it All kids want to be cool. The good news is that most kids we surveyed don’t think drinking makes a person any cooler. But the few kids who said they drink seem to believe it does. In other words, they might think they’re cool, even though other kids don’t. It’s easy to see how a kid might get the wrong message about alcohol. If you have seen beer commercials on TV, the people drinking it seem like they’re having a good time. They often feature bar or party scenes or people watching sports on TV. Why can’t kids have this kind of fun? Well, alcohol also has a darker side. Alcohol is a depressant. That means it slows down or depresses the brain. Like many drugs, alcohol changes a person’s ability to think, speak, and see things as they really are. A person might lose his or her balance and have trouble walking properly. The person might feel re
