Reference Reviews

Reference for Students

Teen Alcoholism. Edited by Adriane Ruggiero. Detroit, Mich.: Greenhaven Press Thomson Gale, 2008. 1 vol. 239 p. $36.20. ISBN 10: 0-7377-3844-8; 13: 978-0-7377-3844-5.

A 2005 study shows that about 10.8 million youth (28.2% of this age group) reported drinking alcohol the previous month. Almost 7.2 million (18.8%) were binge drinkers and 2.3 million (6%) were heavy drinkers. Another study reports that 7,000 children under the age of 16 start drinking every day. The five chapters here cover "Effects of Teenage Drinking," "Patterns of Teenage Alcohol Consumption," "Underage Drinking and the Media," "Personal Narratives on Teenage Alcohol Abuse" and "Current Perspectives on Underage Alcohol Policy." Among the primary sources reproduced here is one from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, "Teenage Alcohol Abuse Creates a Vast Public Health Problem." Each of the articles begins with brief introductory information about the author to help the student to understand what they will be reading. This is an undeniably growing problem in the U.S. Debating the issues may help students recognize the struggle they will face if they join those who drink alcohol. It could also be shared with parents, many of whom are not willing to recognize the potential of this addiction, believing that drug addition is the only problem for concern. Appendixes include Organizations to Contact and a brief bibliography.