Answers to Questions 12-15

12. Do you know any incidents of people drinking under age?
As I searched on the Internet, I saw a new article about a boy who drink and drived, and killed his friend in a car accident.
In the September of 2012, a 19 year old boy who drove when he was drunk drove at the speed of 101 mph tried to fix the sound system of his car. However, the car carreered off the road, overturned, and landed in a field. It instantly killed his best friend, and left two other passengers injured. He was breath tested afterwards, and the result was twice the drink-drive limit. In the jury in April 2013, he was sentenced three years and four months in jail, and five years banned from drinking alcohol. It said that he had started to drive two months before the accident, and he was not used to driving.

Three Years in jail for teenager who killed friend in crash while driving DRUNK at 101 mph and Playing with his stereo. (2013). Retrieved 2015, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2313348/Teenage-drink-driver-Joseph-Salah-Eldin-killed-friend-Norfolk-crash-played-stereo.html


13. What are the health effects in drinking under age?
Teenagers are going through the period of adolescence, the time where they change from childhood to adulthood. During this period, there are changes in horomones and the brain. However, in the use of alcohol in this period will interrupt the development. The health effcts to each part of the body are listed as below:
To the Brain: Change in mood and behavior, uncoordinated movement and hard to think clearly

To the Heart: High blood pressure, strokes, irregular heatbeat

To the Liver: Fatty liver, cancer risk

Immune system: It can weaken your immune system, with easier probability of catching a disease

Other effects by drinking would be vomiting and coma from drinking alcohol without getting used to them. This is mainly caused because by alcohol misuse by young adults. It may increase mental damage such as feelings of depression and negative thoughts, which might lead to suicide or abuse. For adolescents, there is a likelihood of having unsafe sex.

"Alcohol's Effects on the Body." NIH. Web. 2015. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body.

Health and social impacts of underage drinking. (n.d.). Retrieved 2015, from http://www.ias.org.uk/Alcohol-knowledge-centre/Underage-drinking/Factsheets/Health-and-social-impacts-of-underage-drinking.aspx


14. What does the government do to prevent people from drinking under age?

There are many state programs that try to reduce underage drinking. The health, human services, transportation, and criminal justice programs play this role. I saw that there were many committees and programs that prevent underage drinking.
SAMHSA is a large organization within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.It's mission is to reduce the impace of mental illness across the United States. They conduct campaigns for parents to prevent underage drinking. The main goals are:
1. Increase parents' awareness of the prevalence and risk of underage drinking
2. Equip parents with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to prevent underage drinking
3. Increase parents' actions to prevent underage drinking

Health and social impacts of underage drinking. (n.d.). Retrieved 2015, from http://www.ias.org.uk/Alcohol-knowledge-centre/Underage-drinking/Factsheets/Health-and-social-impacts-of-underage-drinking.aspx


15. Are there any laws to not make adults give alcohol to young people?

I would like to take the example of UK. In UK, the legal drinking age is ages over 18.
・selling alcohol to people under 18
・if the adult is buying alcohol for the underaged person
・for someone under 18 to buy alcohol, attempt to buy or to be sold alcohol
・to give children alcohol under the age of five
The concequences of breaking the law:

A policeman has the power to confiscate it if someone under 18 were drinking in a public space. If caught three times, they could face social contract, a fine, or arrest.

The law on alcohol and under 18s. Retrieved 2015, from https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/alcohol-and-the-law/the-law-on-alcohol-and-under-18s

Answers to Questions 8-11

8 What Happens when you get drunk?
There are ways to tell if you, or someone is drunk.
Slurring words, not understanding normal conversation, difficulty in concentrating, feet are unsteady, spilling drinks, rudeness, argumentative, bad tempered, or vomiting.
These symptoms occur because:
Because of the alcohol, it reduces the signal flow of the brain. This results in depressing the physical and mental movements of a person. Alcohol is also absorbed into the bloodstream directly from the stomach, about 20%, and 80 % from the small intestine.

Alcohol Intoxication. Retrieved from http://www.emedicinehealth.com/alcohol_intoxication/page2_em.htm

39 Signs You are Drunk. Retrieved from http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/signs-you-are-drunk/story-e6frewt0-1111116833214


9. What percentage is drinking under age in Japan?

The percentage of drinking alcohol underage for junior high school students is about 26%, and for high schoolers,38%. This is dangerous for adolescents because it will effect their growth.

Underage Drinking Percentage. (n.d.). Retrieved 2015, from
http://www.kirin.co.jp/csv/arp/underage/actualcondition.html

10. Why do we have a drinking age?

It is said that people who drink from a young age will have a probability of becoming an alcoholic. It is also said that the younger you are, the worse your memory will get.
In New Jersey, the minimum drinking age was set to 21 in 1980s. The result was clear. There was nearly 78 percent decrease of alcohol related deaths such as drink and drive accidents from ages 18 to 20. Studies also show that young people get drunk easier than adults.

"Support the 21 Minimum Drinking Age." Center for Science In the Public Interest. Web. 2015. http://www.cspinet.org/alcohol/support21mlda.html.

"Why 21." Madd 35. Web. 2015. <http://www.madd.org/underage-drinking/why21/>.

11.How many countries don't have drinking age?
There are 27 countries without a legal drinking age. The countries are:
Albania, Armenia, Austria, Benin, Bosnia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, Lao, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Moldova, Morocco, Nepal, Solomon Islands, Togo, Tonga, Vietnam.
There are also countries that prohibit drinking alcohol completely. These countries are mostly Muslim related countries, and some parts of India. These countries are:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Iran, Libya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritania, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.
In QuitAlcohol.com, it says"Alcohol prohibition is a law, a legal act, that prohibits the manufacture, transportation and sale of alcohol and alcoholic beverages"
Other reasons are that there are bad effects to the human body as a result of drinking alcohol. The short term effects are relaxation, self confidence, and happiness. However, it progresses to a more negative level as you go further. The examples to these are impaired thinking, poor judgement, depression, and reduced coordination. For young people, it can also link to violent behavior and unsafe sex. The long term effect of drinking alcohol are increasin risk of cancer in the liver, esophagus, and breast. To prevent these as a national responsibility, these countries prohibit people from drinking alcohol. It is more of protecting the citizens than controlling them.

Drinking Age.Retrieved 2015, from http://drinkingage.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004294#none

"In Which Countries Is Alcohol Illegal?" QuitAlcohol.com. Web. 2015. <http://www.quitalcohol.com/information/in-which-countries-is-alcohol-illegal.html>.

Answers to Questions 4-7

4. What do you think about the advertising of alcohol?

As I said in question number three, the advertising of beer and many other kinds of alcohol has a strong effect on people under the drinking age. They would at least have interest in drinking. Even though at the last scene of the commercials, it would have the warning that drinking in Japan would be over the age of twenty, but I think that appeal is too weak.

5. Do you know what happens when you are caught drinking under the drinking?

I would like to give an example of the state law in Texas. If a person is caught with alcohol under the legal drinking age, you would face severla penalties:
・a 500 dollar fine

・a 30-180 day suspension from driving

・8-40 hours of community service

・Alcohol awareness class

If you get caught more than once, your penalties would also lengthen and your fine will be four times the amount you paid for the first time.
For underage drink and drive, there would be more penalties added to this.
・20-40 hours of community service

・3-180 days in jail

・Alcohol awareness class

Underage Drinking. Retrieved from http://www.txdot.gov/driver/sober-safe/underage-drinking.html

6. What can we do to prevent young people from drinking?

There are many ways we could prevent young people from drinking underage. For example, by holding sessions and classes about underage drinking, teacher training and supporting them, connecting with the community, and intensive programs may work in the education for young students. For parents and families, watching over the child, providing discipline and rulemaking is an essential way to prevent underage drinking. Studies show that for students without adult supervision after school have much higher rates in using alcohol and drugs. Peer programs are also put into practice. In this program, they teach refusal skills, other activities more attractive than drug use, and life skills training.

"Stratgies to Prevent Underage Drinking." Web. <http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh26-1/5-14.htm>.


7. What are the positive effects of drinking?
There is nothing so bad about drinking alcohol if you were to keep control. There are positive effects of drinking as well as the negative effects. With the moderate amount of alcohol, it can prevent cardiovascular diseases. It will prevent blood clot formations in the heart, neck, and brain. It could also lengthen your life, as a result. Drinking less than four or two drinks per day can reduce the death rate by 18 percent. Spanish researchers found that drinking eight to fourteen glasses of wine each week can prevent a common cold. About 60 percent decrease was seen in the risk of developing a cold. It can also prevent two kinds of diabetes. However, as the research shows, this must be a MODERATE amount of alcohol, and too much can cause more damage to your body than good.

7 Health Benefits of Drinking Alcohol. Retrieved July 23, 2015, from http://www.medicaldaily.com/7-health-benefits-drinking-alcohol-247552

 

Summary of Drinking Age Survey (International)

First, I would like to thank everyone who answered my survey.

In total, 12 people answered the international version. Out of the 12, 5 were male and 7 were female. The people who answered my survey came from Japan, with one exception. I think eleven people were my classmates. However, one person came from Madagascar, who was at the age of 50 or over. I don' t know how he found my survey, but I am thankful for having a person I totally do not know answer my survey.
Since our topic was on drinking age, I think I had an ideal age variation for my survey. There were people who were still under the legal drinking age, and those who were over 20. I was able to get the point of view from both sides.

 In the question: Are you concerned about drinking underage?, Most of the people were not really concerned about it. For university students, most people start drinking under the age of 20. Especially for Japanese students,  the juniors would have to follow the seniors. Most people cannot say no to what the seniors say. This is a cultural background in Japan. Something that the older person does or says is a must. These days, this custom is becoming loose, but it has not disappeared. Maybe this is the reason why people do not really care about drinking underage.

For the question Have you drank alcohol before the legal drinking age? 12 out of 10 people said YES. I left a space so that people who answered my survey could leave some comments.

・Because I entered college and everyone drinks underage

・I was interested in alcohol and wanted to try something new that I had never done before

・My parents let me for practice

・My seniors forced me to


  We could see from this result that people are less than concerned in drinking alcohol. I also thought from this result that there is no meaning to set the legal drinking age to 20 if nobody would follow it.
  Two people commented that they were forced to drink alcohol by their seniors. This is a big problem, because depending on the person, he or she might make their junior chug, which will lead to alcohol intoxication, which may lead the person to death. People who are not used to drinking alcohol has the probability of being intoxicated. Lately, we hear on the news that freshman university students die from alcohol intoxication, and this is becoming a big problem. These intoxications are caused by people around the victims, and if there is anyone who could stop from doing so, their life might have been saved.

 Although most people drank alcohol under the legal drinking age, the quiz that I gave them showed that they did not have the knowledge on who will take the responsibility if someone is caught drinking underage.
The answer to this question was that the offerer of the alcohol bears the responsibility. Only five people answered correctly, which was under 50%.

Besides Madagascar which does not have a certain legal drinking age, five people answered  that the government should lower the drinking age. Since university students start drinking at the age of 18 or 19, they should at least lower it so that people drinking underage would not feel guilty of what he or she is doing.
The rest answered that the government should not change the drinking age.

The last question was: Do you know any incidents or accidents concerning underage drinking?
Four people answered NO. For the remaining eight, this is what they commented:

・Sons of mine were arrested in USA for drinking in high school

・The Meiji tennis circle incident

・Underage person died by drinking too much

I learned that many of the people who answered my survey watched the news frequently.  Most of the news have some kind of relation with us, since high school and university students do not know the way to use alcohol correctly.

Thank you for answering!

Answers to my questions

Q1 Why do you think is the drinking age in Japan 20? Do you think it has a special meaning?
-We have millions of important cellular in our brain and these start dying after becomming the age of 20. And the cellular which has gone dead cannot ever be regenerated.
What alocohol does to our body is, it speeds up the pace of the cellular going dead.
So in Japan, the government set the drinking age as 20, to protect the cellular until they start dying naturally.


Q2 For people under 20: Did you ever drink alchol?


-To tell the truth, yes. In my opinion, nearly every young people had once alcohol ,especially if we consider "甘酒" as alcohol.


Q3 For people over 20: Did you ever give alcohol to someone under 20?

-I am under 20



Q.4 Did you ever had a dangerous experience with alcohol?

-No, because I am under 20 and had never alcohol that much.



Q5  Have you ever tested whether you have some allergy to alcohol?

-Yes, I did, in highschool. I have allergie against many things but found out that I am not allergic to alcohol.


Q6 What do you think can we do so that people under 20 understand how dangourous alcohol can be?

-I think adults like teachers should take time to give lessons to students and tell them how dangerous effect alocohl has to our health.


Q7 What do you think is the purpose of drinking alcohol?

- To have communications with others or to become closer to people you don't know well.


Q8 What do you think about age-verifications in Japan?

-I think it is a proper age to enable drinking alcohol


Q9 do you like the feeling being drunk? Why or why not?

-I have never been that drunk, but the feeling having alcohol in your body is not bad, because you can be more relaxed.

Q10 Do you remember what type of alcohol you drunk for the firsttime?

-I think it was "甘酒" if you consider it as  alcohol


Q11 What do you think of japanesn amazake? Do you think it should be banned for people under 20？

-I think it has not to be banned because it has been a tradition in Japan drinking "甘酒" in new year for a long time and it does not really have much alcohol in it.


Q12 What do you think of the price of alcohol?

-I think alcohol are a little expensive but it should be


Q13 What do you think makes alcohol so attractive?

- I don't know, but maybe for people under 20, it is attractive because through drinking alcohol they can feel being an aduld


Q14  Do you think alcohol is necessary?

-No, absolutely not

Q15 What do you think of the fact that even people under 20 can work at bars ?

-I work at a bar too, but actually I think it is not really good. Because even if a custmer asks you for your recommendation, you cannot tell him because you are not allowed to try the taste. It is a kind of contradiction.

Answers to Question 1-3

1. What should adults do to follow the drinking age?
 

People who provide alcohol must confirm the age by making the customers present their official IDs to the clerk. However people under the age of drinking should know what it takes to drink alcohol and the health effects of it from a young age. The schools should give education on drinking age and alcohol.

2. Do you know any news concerning drinking age?

I have heard of university students drinking under age having a party and they got drunk, and since they were partying by the river,they jumped into the lake and drowned to death. 

3. What makes people under 20 drink alcohol in Japan?

People around them give an influence on the young people. When they see adults and freidns drinking daily, they would think it is a normal thing. If young people see adults having fun with alcohol, they would have interest in what makes it so enjoyable.
The media also gives them a big impact. When they see famous or beautiful people drink alcohol, they would have a longing for alcohol, thinking that alcohol would make them cool as well. Young people might start drinking for escape of their real lives, because drinking alcohol would result in self confidence. There is no one reason to start drinking or crave it.

Retrieved from http://www.drugfree.org/resources/top-8-reasons-why-teens-try-alcohol-and-drugs/

 

 

In-Class Internet Research2

In the article written below, we posted a blog of an example of an untrustful website. In this article, I would like to give an example of a website you could trust. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/special-populations-co-occurring-disorders/underage-drinking
In this website, we could see a lot of information, with information about the association. They also have a clear view of what the topic is about, and is very organized. There are links to the USA Government, and when I did some further research, I found out that this website was operated by the USA government.