YOUTH DROWNING IN ALCOHOL

  BY SIPHOKUHLE MPANZA

 

Alcohol abuse often starts with a sip then a glass and before they know it is the whole bottle. According to recent statistics by drug abuse organization 61.5% teens have abused alcohol by 12^th grade.

Rates of youth who drink alcohol are very high according to aware.org. Causes of youth alcohol consumption appear mostly because they communicate less with adults. Many resolve to alcohol because of peer pressure. The need to fit in an environment and with friends and peers causes the desire to drink to look cool and gel with the group.

“I have grown up in a household where alcohol abuse was frequent. Personally, I have endured a lot because of alcohol abuse so to me alcohol abuse is something that can ruin families, homes, careers, and everything built in your lifetime.,” those are the words of Shania Naidoo (21), cashier, when asked to give her take on alcohol abuse.

Naidoo like many youngsters out there found herself in a society where alcohol intake was a frequent norm. According to Naidoo one recognises the damage alcohol can cause. Sometimes youth are left with no choice but to resolve to substance abuse because their environment is conducive for such.

There are negative effects of drinking alcohol from an early age. It is an act of ending one’s life from an early stage as teenage stage. As Naidoo said, everything built in one’s lifetime could be ruined. Imagine someone young who has not even made a name for himself abruptly ending their lives with alcohol.

It starts as youth having what they regard as fun then one day they become drunkard parents. We have alcohol addicts today; It is because they started early now the need for alcohol has possessed them. It is so hurting to see young boys and girls drinking their breaths out.

The most concerning thing about alcohol is that it is advertised in everything everywhere. Mmatema Morake (25), an entrepreneur said,” Exactly, the media intends to persuade and manipulate people into buying alcohol.” Agreed, the media serves those purposes indeed as needs to generate business.

According to sources from vox pops people all agree on one thing. Business is made at the expense of poor South African children. The lives of these poor people are not taken to cognisance; just generation of revenue is priority. Even the no under eighteen restrictions does not seem to be working for this country. You may turn a blind eye now but at the at of the day this affects us all.

As a country we will face our doom should this be our life. When asked if they foreseen hope for this country with such elevated levels of alcohol consumption. An educator Snokuhle Dhlomo said, “personally, I do not think there is a brighter future for South Africa if the rate of alcohol consumption remains the way it is. We cannot build a future with a bunch of drunks.” Dhlomo added. Youth excessive alcohol consumption is morally wrong and must be dealt away with urgently.