HELP, I NEED SOMEBODY, HELP

The title of one of The Beatles hits pictures exactly what most of our teenagers and children are shouting for: HELP. As I was reading the newspaper this morning, a sad artcle on Nueva magazine caught my eye. This article said that 51% of children between the age of 11- 14 were already drinking alcohol. And the percentage rises in adolescents. According to Alicia Belmonte, IPLAS' director, nobody can sell alcoholic drinks to minors. But it seems that not all of the shop owners respect the law.

But the problem is that drinking beers and other alcoholic substances is not as bad as consuming marihuana. So if we see teenagers drinking we will not tell them this is harmful for them. Therefore, this is a beleif we must change. Smoking, drinking is as dangerous as drug consumption. In fact, most of car accidents, are caused by excessive amount of alcohol.

There are several reasons WHY teenagers drink alcohol: Self-gratification, pressure form their peers, psycho-dynamic relief. Therefore, young alcoholics need a great deal of help to overcome this problem. In this sense, parents must work in unison with doctors and shrinks in order to save their sons and daughters. Otherwise, they will be in a no way out road.

In Tucuman, there is a worse problem. Dancing clubs and discos close at 4.30 at night. But teenagers do not go back home. They stay at somebody's house and drink there until they are no longer masters of their will. Consequently, I shall repeat my idea: Parents take care of your children, see where they are going. Do not ask WHY my son or daughter drinks alcohol. Just do something about it.

Hopefully, adults will re-gain consiousness about this problem and will try to tackle this problem. Until then, youth will be killed by vicious. Please, let's do something!

Source:

• http://www.contexto.com.ar/nota.


• http://www.wcg.org/lit/booklets/alcohol/teenagers.