2. Why do young people drink alcohol? There are many reasons why young people drink alcohol including  Curiosity  Boredom,  Culture  Part of their upbringing However a recent survey carried out in St Mary’s revealed that ‘Peer Pressure’ was the most common reason.

3. Risks associated with underage drinking There are many risks associated with drinking including  Social risks- causes vandalism, bad reputation and anti- social behaviour  Health risks- liver damage, brain damage, kidney failure and alcohol poisoning  Psychological risks- paranoia, self esteem issue and anxiety attacks

4. Effects of alcohol- Short term  Depending on how much you drink, your experience with alcohol and the environment in which you are drinking, alcohol can cause:  relaxation, feeling of well-being  loss of inhibitions  dizziness, unclear judgement  uncoordinated movements, slow reactions  blurred vision, slurred speech  unconsciousness  And if over consumed in severe cases-death

5. The following diagram shows the long term effects of alcohol on the body

6. Facts  A person’s personality can change with drink in their system.  People don’t think of the consequences they could be facing with alcohol.  Many people suffer as a result of underage drinking.  Children may lose friends and fall behind in school work if they drink  It ruins love lives and relationships in general.  Alcohol stays in your system for hours.  When your older and want to stop drinking it’s a hard process and doesn’t just happen overnight.

7. Help and Advice  Make sure you think off the consequences before you drink.  In a serious case of drunkenness, a person might lose consciousness (pass out). If this happens, put them in the recovery position (lying on their side), check that they’re breathing and that nothing is blocking their mouth (such as vomit or an ice cube) and call for help  www.al-anon-ireland.org/ is a website available for 12-20 year olds living with a drink problem or with someone who has a drink problem www.al-anon-ireland.org/