This is the con argument. To read the pro argument click here.

It’s late on a Saturday night. The music is pounding. Teenagers are drinking. And the next morning, something unimaginable happens: everyone goes home safe and unharmed.

Underage drinking is a reality, whether you like it or not. The problem isn’t necessarily that kids are drinking, it’s the way adults handle it. Kids are told not to drink, to completely avoid all forms of alcohol no matter what. But when faced with peer pressure, it isn’t always easy to “just say no.”

This is why the stance on alcohol among adults needs to change. The more educated kids are about the realities of drinking, the more likely they are to be responsible if they are ever put in a situation where they are offered a drink. If adults are more realistic about teenage drinking being a reality, their kids are going to be much more likely to be honest with them about when they drink.

For example, if kids get into a bad situation at a party, they will be more likely to call their parents for help or a ride home.

The dangers of failing to inform teens of the dangers of drinking are more dangerous than underage drinking itself. Teenagers who are unaware of what they may be getting themselves into when they drink alcohol pose a danger to themselves and to the people around them.

Informing teenagers in a relatable way on the dangers of alcohol poisoning and driving under the influence is a great way for adults to educate teens on the harmful effects of alcohol. The key for alcohol education to be effective is to make sure teenagers know that alcohol isn’t cool, nor is it the only way to have fun. Plus, it can have harmful effects on your body and life.

Like any other issue, teens can take drinking too far. The key for drinking to not be seen as a big deal by society is for kids to abstain from the abuse of alcohol, just as it’s important for teens to not abuse the Internet or the freedom of having a license.

The drinking age is lower in other countries. For example, the drinking age in the United Kingdom is 18. How are 18 year olds in the U.K. any more immune to the effects of alcohol or responsible with alcohol than 18 year olds in America?

JC students along with students everywhere are responsible members of their communities who, even if they don’t always make the best decisions, have the ability to know how to make those decisions in a way that will ensure that no one gets hurt.  Drinking isn’t cool, but neither is treating it like it’s not a reality. Just say no to a lack of alcohol education.

Kaley Martin is an Opinion Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.