My friend John was rushed to the hospital one day. He felt terribly sick and he had to be taken to the emergency room. A few hours later, he was diagnosed with liver cancer. He had spent most of his fifty years drinking, and now his two young children were stricken with fear of losing their father. As one lifestyle risk factor, alcohol is second only to smoking as the most preventable cause of death in the western world (Green & Ottoson, 1999, p. 358). It affects people’s lives financially, socially, and emotionally. Alcoholics and non alcoholics alike suffer from mental, psychological, and physical damages as a result of domestic violence, child abuse, and other injuries. In the U.S. alone, ten percent of the population has a drinking problem, and twenty five percent of adolescents are exposed to the dangers of alcohol (p. 358). Alcoholics include men and women of all races and all age groups. Nevertheless, some are particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. Individuals as young as twelve years old start to drink as an expression of general turmoil. Young adults, 12-24 years old, use alcohol to deal with stress and pressure from home, school, and other social relationships. Alcohol, unlike other illegal drugs, can be purchased legally; at least after the minimum age required is reached. However, young children have easy access to alcoholic beverages: from a couple of beers sitting in their refrigerator, to the grocery store, where anyone over 21 can purchase the night’s supply of liquor for them. Obviously, alcohol and teenagers can be a recipe for disaster, but the question is: How bad can it be? Indeed, young individuals act irrationally under the influence. Their actions is dictated by alcohol. In the end, they become victims of their addiction. Parents also are greatly affected when their children risk injuries or death due to alcohol. This paper this paper purpose is to get parents’ attention and to raise their awareness on this issue for the reason that they are indirectly victimized as well. Its intention is to point out the many consequences of alcohol for their children, physically and emotionally. It will show the impact on their social life and will investigate how they obtain alcoholic beverages. Finally it will offer some effective measures parents can adopt to prevent alcoholism in their children. It will look for answers to the following questions: 1. What are the physical and psychological dangers of alcoholism in teenagers? 2. What are the implications of alcohol in their social life? 3. What is the source of alcohol for teens? 4. What can parents do to prevent alcoholism in teenagers? What Are The Physical And Psychological Effects Of Alcoholism In Teenagers? Although it starts as a harmless and innocent hobby, children as young as twelve years old become attracted to alcohol, usually after tasting a little bit of beer. Peer pressure and the desire to be cool lead to more drinking, and soon enough, addiction occurs. According to Green & Ottoson (1999), “one in four adolescents is at high risk of alcohol and other drug problems, school failure, early unwanted pregnancy, and/or delinquency (p. 358). Unknown to parents, teens develop drinking habits, unaware of the damage alcohol can do to their bodies. The liver is one of the organs most affected by heavy drinking, and the diseases include fatty liver, hepatitis and cirrhosis. Brain diseases, hearth disease, cancer and diabetes are also part of an impressive list of primary and secondary causes of more than sixty thousand deaths in one year due to alcohol (Alcohol: Complications of Problem Drinking, 2003). Teens engage in dangerous activities and they make questionable decisions after drinking. “Approximately one-third of victims are intoxicated in homicides, drowning, and boating deaths.” write Green & Ottoson (1999, p. 358). Alcohol, indeed, can cause bodily injuries, besides all the health risks mentioned before. Teenagers are exposed to fatal injuries, intentional and unintentional; suicides and motor vehicle accidents are just a few. They get behind the wheel while intoxicated, and they end up in horrible crashes, causing injuries to themselves and to others. Alcohol contributes to fifty percent of all fatal accidents and intentional injuries like murders and suicides. Individuals fifteen to twenty four have a higher rate of deaths than any other group (pp. 358-359). Their education is affected as well because they are unable to stay sober. They develop a lack of concentration and a lack of desire to learn; therefore, they are chronic absentees and they become underachievers for life. Furthermore, alcohol plays a major role in mental disorders. It is associated with illnesses such