Are teens in the US prone to alcoholism?
Title.
I moved to the USA (Michigan) from Eastern Europe about two years ago and have heard countless stories about teenagers aged 14-18 regarding under-age drinking and border-line alcoholism.
It's really very sad to heard 17yr old teens say "yeah I've been sober from alcohol for 1 year" or drugs, or whatever else. But it's mostly alcohol I hear.
Is it really this big of a problem everywhere in the US, or is this a problem just in my area? I've seen many videos online with teens getting arrested about this matter as well.
It seems very weird to me because I compare it to the Balkans, where I'm from, and although kids drink from a very early age (a sip at like 5-6 years old, a beer at 12, and properly going out for drinks at 14-15+), no one is really addicted to it and they're bored of it when they reach their early 20s.
Is it the fact that alcohol is difficult to obtain in the US if you're under 21 and it makes it appealing for kids to drink, or is it another problem?