Underage drinking in the United States

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Alcoholism has gained a reputation as one of the most shameful and nefarious forms of addiction in modern American society. In recent years, alcohol has become normalized to the point where underage drinking is not considered abnormal. Certain factors, such as social pressures, familial situations, and fragile restrictive laws influence the young generation to engage in such behaviors. The significance of these factors has been amplified in recent years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With this information in mind, one must consider how the pandemic impacted the issue of underage drinking, and how these factors may have evolved. In an effort to fit in with their peers, underage teens may experiment with alcohol, not aware of the fact that their brain is still developing. If a family member drinks alcohol regularly, it may seem normal for underage teens to follow the same path. These negative indulgences have been made possible because of the lack of restrictions surrounding underage drinking. While there are policies in place to prevent this behavior, some are bypassed easily. For the purposes of this paper, the phrase underage teens applies to those who are below the legal drinking age of 21 years. This paper evaluates the leading causes of alcohol abuse in underage teens since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, considering possible reasons why this issue is so prevalent in America today.