Underage Drinking: The Personal Consequences

Aside from legal consequences underage drinkers can face, there are personal consequences that can affect a person's social and academic lives, as well as his or her physical and psychological health.

According to the Centers For Disease Control, the long-term physical effects can include: liver disease, nerve damage, sexual problems, brain damage, cancer of the mouth and throat, alcohol poisoning, high blood pressure, stroke, other heart-related diseases, changes in brain development, disruption of normal growth and sexual development, and many more.

Officer Jessica Martin from the Michigan State University Police Department said that people who are under the influence of alcohol are at a higher risk of being physically and sexually assaulted. This can lead to psychological and sometimes physical damage that lasts for years after the incident. 

Underage drinkers can also face social problems related to their drinking habits. Among these problems, the main one is a lack of participation in activities with friends. Academic problems can also surface because students who have a drinking problem begin to miss school more frequently and can suffer from memory loss and lack of concern for grades, according to the CDC Website.

Underage Drinking: The Legal Consequences

It is well-known that in today's society, drinking alcohol while under the age of 21 is accepted and often encouraged.


Officer Jessica Martin of the Michigan StateUniversity Police Department said there are a number of legal consequences that people under the age of 21 can face if caught drinking alcohol.

Ever heard of an "MIP"? This stands for Minor In Possession, a misdemeanor offense that results in a ticket that can cost the offender up to $100 and may come with many other unwanted and inconvenient consequences. 

Completion of a number of community service hours or a substance abuse treatment course decided upon by a judge or magistrate, up to 93 days of jail time and loss of driving privileges are also possible consequences. 

The judge acting on the case has the final say on the consequences underage drinker faces. The judge’s decision ultimately relies on the circumstances of each individual case. He or she takes into consideration the number of times the offender has been arrested and other factors, according to Martin. 

A stay in the “drunk tank” is also a possible consequence for underage drinkers.  The Collins English dictionary defines “drunk tank” as “a large police cell used for detaining drunks overnight.”

Depending on how intoxicated the arrested person is, he or she can be detained in the drunk tank for whatever length of time it takes for them to sober up.

People are not typically thrown into the drunk tank unless he or she is acting obnoxiously or in a way that seems dangerous to people around them or to themselves, or if the person refuses to do a Preliminary Breath Test, according to Martin.