Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented. Fermentation is a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Drinking alcohol is dangerous for kids and teens and sometimes for adults, too. Alcohol is a drug, and it is the drug most abused by teens. Many kids have their first drink at an early age, as young as 10 or 11 or even younger.
It is definitely easy for kids to get the wrong idea about alcohol. They usually see their parents drinking, and they even see it on television commercials that it’s fun being drunk. You might see people drinking and watching sports together or having a big party.
But alcohol is actually a depressant. That means it is a drug that slows down or depresses the brain. It can affect the way people speak, think and act. A person might lose his or her balance and have trouble with walking properly. The person might be able to feel relaxed and happy and then later will start crying or even looking for someone to fight with.