Alcohol consumption is a widespread social activity all throughout the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50.9% of all adult Americans regularly consume alcohol and 13.6% drink on occasion. About 28,500 people die each year from alcohol related causes. About 15% of juveniles between the ages 12 – 17 consume alcohol and alcohol consumption among college age students has declined as well.
Even though drinking has declined over the years these statistics prove that Americans are still consuming a great amount of alcohol. People who are most susceptible to the use of alcohol are teenagers and young adults. These two groups are not the only ones who can succumb to the dangers since many middle aged adults also consume alcohol.
Alcohol awareness classes are given by drug prevention and treatment organizations. They are usually required of people when they break the law with the illegal or improper use of alcohol. Courts can order people to the take the courses as a part of probation requirement or for minor in possession classes. Sometimes alcohol awareness classes are given to minors and young adults through educational institutions or community organizations. Online alcohol awareness classes are available for people who are required to complete this material.
Individuals who are forced to attend an alcohol awareness class typically have to pay a fee which can cost $100 or more. Classes that are sponsored by educational institutions are typically free to attendees but in some cases payments must be received before the courses can be completed.
Many of the classes give attendees a lot of information about recognizing the signs of alcohol abuse, problems associated with drunk driving and how alcohol affects the body. They also inform students about the social and economic consequences of alcohol abuse and alcohol related accidents. Students are given information about how to control their emotions and stress since these two factors often contribute to the use of alcohol. There are some classes that also teach high school and college students about the importance of Minor alcohol abstinence. Classes are typically given during the evening hours or they might take place on Saturday morning.
There about 1.5 million arrests made each year for drunk driving or for an alcohol related crime. Many people who are arrested for this crime are between the ages of 21 to 40. Juveniles are also arrested within this group. Classes are an important part of the legal process for educating and informing people about the dangers and improper use of alcohol, especially on the road.
Many alcohol awareness classes are state certified and accredited by sponsoring organizations. The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a governmental organization that works to stem the problems associated with drug and alcohol usage within the United States. Programs that sponsor alcohol awareness classes sometimes utilize information and training materials provided by this federal agency. As the U.S. population grows within the next 10 to 20 years so will the use of alcohol and alcohol related crimes. Alcohol awareness classes are very important for educating and informing people about the dangers and problems associated with the improper and illegal use of alcohol.