Underage drinking Underage drinking ADVERTISING My name is Keana Kaohimaunu, and I am a student attending Honokaa High School. I would like to bring to your attention an issue that has been bothering me. This issue is underage drinking, because
Underage drinking
My name is Keana Kaohimaunu, and I am a student attending Honokaa High School. I would like to bring to your attention an issue that has been bothering me. This issue is underage drinking, because it is such a big issue throughout the United States.
I personally know a bunch of people who drink and they are underage. It is pretty upsetting because alcohol isn’t worth drinking for the consequences you have to deal with in the long run. Alcohol can cause so many problems for people and cause people to make dumb decisions.
If you didn’t know by now, it is easy for minors to get alcohol. Teenagers are affected the most by alcohol because of how they start so young. It creates problems for them when they are older. Many teens are pressured into taking that first drink of alcohol, and it is all downhill from there.
Teenagers can consume more alcohol before experiencing the negative affects like drowsiness, lack of cooperation and hangovers. Plus, with all the ads and commercials, youths get the wrong idea that drinking alcohol is OK if adults drink it.
There are accidents every day because of people drinking under the influence and end up either killing themselves, other people or both in some cases.
We need to take action and start filling teenagers’ minds with better things, like sports and college. This is a very important step because the kids are our future, and we don’t want our future to be filled with alcoholics.
Plus, youths need to be aware of all the junk that they’re putting into their bodies. Teenagers who start drinking alcohol need to think about the effects it has on their body. Things like brain problems, liver problems and drinking alcohol during your puberty stage can affect the normal development of organs, muscles and bones. It is even worse for obese drinkers because of the damage you are doing to your liver.
Teenagers need to watch what they put into their bodies because it does affect them in the future. The government can play a role in raising the tax on alcohol so that people can only buy a limited amount. Or the government could increase the minimum drinking age because teenagers use friends who are 21 to buy them alcohol.
I think the drinking age should be bumped up to 25 years old. Alcohol is too widely available to people and it is aggressively promoted throughout society.
Keana Kaohimaunu
Honoka‘a High & Intermediate
Go see ‘Lincoln’
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a letter complaining that the movie “Lincoln” was not being shown in Hilo. That situation has been rectified and now Hilo audiences can see this wonderful and important movie at the Prince Kuhio Plaza. We saw it again on Sunday afternoon and found it as moving as the first time we saw it in Kona. Thanks to the theater for showing this film here, after all.
Gretchen H. Klungness
Mountain View
