Alcohol abuse poses significant health and social costs. Communities with more alcohol outlets experience higher rates of violent crime like assault. Underage drinking is common, with over 17% of adolescents reporting drinking in the past month and 11% engaging in binge drinking. Starting to drink before age 13 greatly increases the risk of developing alcohol abuse or dependence problems later in life. The costs of alcohol abuse to both individuals and society are extensive and estimated at over $175 billion annually.

1. Alcohol AbuseBy Ricky R. and Brad L.

2. • Alcohol availability is closely related to violent assaults. Communities and neighborhoods that have more bars and liquor stores per capita experience more assaults. 1

3. Reports put out by the National Center for Health Statistics from 2005 say that 17.6% of adolescents between the ages of 12-17 used alcohol in the past month, 11.1% reported binge drinking (5 or more drinks at a time) and 2.6% reported heavy alcohol use.

4. Drunk driving is the nation's most frequently committed violent crime. (MADD, 1996)Alcohol is society's oldest and most popular legal drug. (Narcotic Educational Foundation of America, 2002). Alcohol is a $100 billion business in America, but it costs much more than that to repair the damages of alcohol abuse.Some experts estimate that cost at more than $175 billion this year, but that's a conservative guess — and it doesn't include a lot of hidden costs:

5. . More than 40 percent of individuals who start drinking before the age of 13 will develop alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence at some point in their lives . If drinking is delayed until age 21, a child's risk of serious alcohol problems is decreased by 70 percent

6. Effects of alcohol abuse Hangover: An ill feeling experienced the day after drinking alcohol.Black Out: The memory loss experienced during a period of binge drinkingJag: An extended period of heavy drug or alcohol abuse.

7. Over 76 million people are currently affected by alcohol use disorders, such as alcohol dependence and abuse. Depending on the amount of alcohol consumed and the pattern of drinking, alcohol consumption can lead to drunkenness and alcohol dependence.

9. Car crashes by Alcohol Abuse

10. Some facts about alcohol abuse.http://www.ohsu.edu/health/page.cfm?id=10077 http://www.alcoholanswers.org/alcohol-education/alcohol-statistics.cfm1http://www.marininstitute.org/alcohol_policy/violence.htmhttp://www.taadas.org/factsheets/alcoholStats.htm

11. Hope you learned a lot about Alcohol Abuse Also not to drink when your under age and that it’s illegal and dangerous Which the Drinking age is 21.