Although many teenagers tend to ignore the law, the legal drinking age in the United States is twenty-one. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “8.7 million people ages 12 to 20 reported drinking alcohol in the past month” (“Alcohol Facts,” 2015). Of this group, 14% drink excessively and 3.7% admit to being heavy drinkers. Underage drinking can lead to more serious problems, such as drunk driving, alcohol poisoning, and violence (“Teenage Drinking,” n.d.). Underage drinking not only affects minors, but also the people around them. Teens will continue to endanger themselves and others if society continues to turn a blind eye to underage drinking (“Teenage Drinking,” n.d.). When driving under the influence, children are taught in school that alcohol can be addictive and is a difficult habit to break; the earlier teenagers start drinking, the more difficult the problem will be to overcome in the future. Binge drinking goes hand in hand with underage alcohol consumption; when teens consume alcohol, most of them drink more drinks. This becomes a health risk, as minors miss school, pass out, and damage property (“Teenage Drinking,” n.d.). “The short- and long-term consequences of underage drinking are staggering in scope and magnitude, affecting adolescents, those around them, and society as a whole” (“Consequences of,” n.d.). The consequences of drinking can be life-threatening; the pleasure of drinking is not worth the dangers it entails. There are ways schools can educate students about the dangers of alcohol. Programs that motivate kids to make the right choices should be implemented across the country. Teachers, counselors, and administration should be there for students to speak up if there are any problems. Extracurricular programs could be established so that children who do not have optimal family lives can be involved in the programs. Most adolescents who abuse alcohol have parents who have had previous problems with alcohol. Teachers should be mentors, and students need to feel like teachers will be there to listen. Schools could hire motivational speakers or people who have experienced tragedies related to underage drinking to inform students about the effects alcohol has had on them (Komro & Toomey, 2002). The researcher suggests that the failure of this solution could represent a financial burden for the school