The Catalyst

By Sali Leonhart, Reporter

For most teens, underage drinking is quite the casualty. Whether or not it’s on a week night or a weekend, teenagers will do just about anything to get a supplier and location. The drinking age may be 21 in the United States, but that doesn’t stop a variety of people below the age of 21 from doing it.

“It’s defiantly a problem here in the Valley, but it’s a common problem everywhere.” Fruita Monument High School student said. Students see the depth in the actions and decisions the majority of teens make on their personal time. Although, the students believe that underage alcohol and drug use is too common everywhere to point fingers at one single location.

For students, seeing the breaking headlines of newspapers reading the deaths of to some they may know, is depressing and heartbreaking. Although as hard as it may seem… are students getting the message? If we were to think in theory, if one has the ability to fight for our country… shouldn’t that same one be able to have a drink without breaking the law. As most would think, yes people who fight for our country regardless of their age should be able to drink.

Even though the law is no drinking under the age of 21… a hand full of families allow their children to drink. The allowance may not be every night they have a drink with their dinner but on the weekends they might offer them a ride if they have been drinking. If all families were to be open and honest about their children’s drinking habits than perhaps the number of drunken driving accidents would decrease in a matter of weeks.