How many examples must there be

EDITOR:

What will it take to make the dangers of underage drinking visible to all people? Between binge drinking and college hazing, the possibilities are endless.

They may not be heard of as frequently in this small town, but deaths do occur from underage alcohol consumption. For example, an article in the Yorkshire Evening Post titled "Warning as 15-year-old chokes to death after drinking five cans of lager" tells of the horror of one mother to find her son's lifeless body in their bathroom.

The one thing that struck the family as odd was the fact that Liam Richmond, the son, wasn't a habitual drinker.

Another example of the hazards of drinking is the common college hazing. A situation arose in Geneseo, N.Y., where a dad sued a fraternity for the death of his son, Arman Partamian. His son died as a result of drinking heavily for a total of three days to gain membership in the fraternity.

When you send your child off to college it's to broaden their horizon, not to meet their untimely end. One of the last examples I have is another entity associated mostly with college party life: beer pong.

The game usually includes at least two players throwing ping pong balls into each others' beer cups at opposite ends of a table. When a ball lands in your cup, you down the contents, and the same for the other participant. This is mainly a type of binge drinking and can easily be seen as dangerous.

Now, one question that I know is lingering in the air is why are you, a simple teenager, writing about alcohol and its effects on underage users? My answer is simple: a study has proven that male teens who participate in team sports are associated with binge drinking and acts of violence.

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America discovered this study from the American Public Health Association's meeting. About 1.4 percent of 60.5 percent of teenage males reported that drinking was associated with their team sport.

This information hits close to home for me because I have male friends who are involved in team sports and, sadly, I have heard of their alcohol-filled tales, and I want this information to be known. Alcohol is limited to those that are of at least 21 years of age for many reasons.

Not only is it the law in every one of the 50 states, but also because the human body is mostly developed, meaning your liver can handle an amount of alcohol and not be susceptible to as much damage. Please acknowledge this. I'm writing this for you and your parents. Stop the games and wild partying. You have a future for yourself, so don't waste it by getting wasted.

Cassandra Lopez

Douglas High School senior

STOP President