I'm doing a paper on alcohol. Can y'all help?

Question

I'm doing a term paper for my English class. My topic is alcohol, I decided to narrow it down a little by just doing the different ways that people use alcohol and the effects that it has on different people. I have come up with a few questions to ask and I would love if people would answer these questions as honestly as possible. It will help me alot when I present my paper to my class.

1.) How old were you when you took your first drink?
2.) What was your first reaction?
3.) Why did you drink?
4.) Were you parents ever drinkers?
5.) Did they do it around you?
6.) Do you still drink?
7.) If so, how often?
8.) Why or why not?
9.) How old are you now?
10.) Would you allow your children to drink even if you weren't there?
11.) What is your opinion on underage drinking?
12.) What is your opinion on drinking (even if you're of age.)?

Answer 1

1. 14
2. yummy stuff
3. because it was the cool thing to do at that time.
4. my dad used to be an alcoholic, mother doesn't drink.
5. no
6. occasionally.
7. about once a week or every two weeks.
8. because i don't want to be an alcoholic.
9. 27
10. if i had kids... no.
11. there's a lot of it going around. kids will drink no matter what their parents say so i would rather them be with someone responsible and make sure nothing bad happens to them while they are intoxicated.
12. its fun every now and then but its not good to drink all the time because later in life you can get many serious health issues from over drinking.. I.E Liver/kidney failure.♣

Answer 2

1) Without parents permission I was sixteen. However my father and uncles would always let me take a sip of their beer as long as I can remember

2) I was at a high school party. I enjoyed the taste (beer) and let like I belonged and was cool

3) Plain and simple I enjoy it. That being said I feel I'm a funnier / more relaxed person when I drink. It may sound silly to me it helps me to be me and the person I want to be

4) Mother very rarely / Father is an untreated alcoholic

5) Yes, I used to have to get beer for my Dad from the fridge

6) Yes I do and I enjoy it

7) Probably about 4 to 6 days of the week. The amount varies. Some night I may have a glass of wine or a beer, then other nights whiskey and then there are the nights were it may be a bottle or wine or a twelve pack (usually that the weekend)

8) I know some would define me as a alcoholic, but I control myself. I could quit tomorrow and not drink. I quit drinking for extended periods of time (lent, to get in better shape) and have been fine with it. Bottom line I enjoy drinking

9) 40

10) When they turn 21 yes. Until then NO. I always respected my parents and never drank in their house until I was 21 without them not knowing about it.

11) I wish kids wouldn't but to take a hard stance would be hypocritical on my part. In a world we're you can drive, smoke, vote, live on your own and serve your country but can not have a legal drink, well to me that confusing. Trust you to do somethings, but not all things. I tell my daughter, someday you make drink and if I find out there a good chance you'll get punished, But I beg her NEVER, NEVER get into a car with someone who's been drinking nor don't you drink in drive. I don't care what time it is and where you are I'll come get you.

12) Like anything too much of something can ruin a person. I do enjoy having a drink whether it be during the summer in the yard with a beer or dining at a restaurant. Educate people of the dangers and pitfalls then let them make their own decision.

God luck w/ your paper

Answer 3

1.) How old were you when you took your first drink?
14

2.) What was your first reaction?
gross-but it was beer, I still hate beer

3.) Why did you drink?
at a party

4.) Were you parents ever drinkers?
nope, they are T-totalers and always have been

5.) Did they do it around you?
n/a

6.) Do you still drink?
yes

7.) If so, how often?
socially, maybe once a month

8.) Why or why not?
Well, I have a grown up job now, so I can't do it hardcore.
That, and I just don't have the stamina I used to have.
Hangovers bother me more.
I'm not willing to spend money on it.
Lots of reasons for not drinking as much, but I still drink . . .
Because I enjoy it.

9.) How old are you now?
37

10.) Would you allow your children to drink even if you weren't there?
No, but my son is nearly 18, I don't fool myself into
thinking he's never had a drink with his friends.

11.) What is your opinion on underage drinking?
I think that as long as the draft age is 18, the drinking age
should be 18. If they want to keep it as is, move the age
of majority (and thus the draft) to 21.

12.) What is your opinion on drinking (even if you're of age.)?
No amount of regulation is going to stop it.

Answer 4

1. I was 13
2. "Hey...this stuff burns...but oh! I'm getting all fuzzy feeling!"
3. Because I was young & stupid and submitted to peer pressure.
4. My step-father was a violent alcoholic.
5. My step-father drank until I was about 15; then quit cold-turkey (if that's a term used for alcohol as well as tobbaco).
6. I still have the occasional glass of wine.
7. Occasional = 1 a week or so.
8. Why I still drink? Because I still enjoy a glass of wine with supper occasionally.
9. 40
10. No.
11. I think that drinking in general is grossly overrated, and that a lot of kids do it for the same reasons I did, and that kids have FAR too much ready access to alcohol (and drugs).
12. My general opinion of alcohol is that it's like everything else -- OK in moderation. And NEVER EVER drink & drive. I have lost more than one friend/family member to drunk drivers.
6.

Answer 5

1.) 11 on my own, 15 socially accepted by father's family, 18 socially accepted by mother's family, 21 legally accepted by the USA.
2.)Yuck!
3.)I was curious.
4.) Socially.
5.) Rarely (glass of wine @ xmas,bdays,etc)
6.) Yes
7.) Glass of wine daily w/meal, Liqueur & Spirits on weekends
8.) I enjoy drinking, I'm a shameless hedonist , fortunately I'm on a recent college grad's budget.
9.)24
10.)No
11.)I believe it is such a huge problem because kid's have wild imaginations and alcohol is so very prone to myths. I grew up in a home were alcohol was never either glorified nor condemned, my questions about it were always honestly answered, and my curiosity met with stern(drinking is reserved to the time when you are of age) yet accessible attitudes. And even so, I drank from early on in my life. I think underage drinking is unavoidable, especially considering how high the age limit is.
12.) Drinking is not only the act of consuming alcoholic beverages, it is how you consume it, it is a cultural ritual. It has been demonized by many cultures for periods of time, generally due to tight moral judgment. It has also been a great inspiration for others. There are alcoholics who lose their lives because of their addiction(this is not only determined by culture, but also by genetics), and then there are people like me,alcoholics, who have grown up in cultures were drinking is acceptable, common, and has few or less important negative connotations and mainly were getting drunk to the point of puking is never the objective, rather enjoying a fine wine or spirit, good conversation, and a little uninhibitedness.

Answer 6

I would love to be a voice in your paper! Very interesting questions. A lot of personal detail here.
1) I was 13 when I got drunk for the first time. I don't remember if that was the first time I ever drank, probably not.

2) I didn't like the feeling much, but I was buzzed. So I told myself that I liked it.

3) I drank because I was hanging out with people who were as messed up as I was. All of my "friends" had been abused or came from alcoholic families as I did.

4) Both of my parents drank. My father was a hard core alcoholic and my mother cleaned up and got God. My mother became a role model for People Can Change.

5) I went to every party that my parents went to. They thought being a good parent meant being with your kid. The problem with that is that the kid is set up for all kinds of weird crap at the hands of drunks!

6) I do not still drink other than rare and far between occasions, and during those times I do not get drunk. I drink one drink and that is all.

7) There is the occasional dinner with the boyfriend. We don't eat out much and live in a town where alcohol is not served in restaraunts, even Pizza Hut! Big family celebrations when wine or champagne is served for toasts and maybe Christmas every now and then with the extended family that comes to visit.

8) I choose not to be the person that I used to be. I choose to be clean and sober. I have more fun and remember more of my actions!

9) I am 49.

10) When my older children were teens they drank just like I did. Away from home without my knowledge, until they told me about it later. My child at home, hopefully, will not drink or get high. We talk openly about it more than when the older kids and I did.

11) I know it happens. I believe it is very dangerous and leads to very poor decision making. I know I cannot prevent another person's actions but also know that I have high expectations and desires for my children. I believe the legal drinking age should be 21 and enllistment into the Armed Services the same.

12) I think that if people are responsible and can drink responsibly then fine. If drinking interferes with taking care of your family or responsibilities then you shouldn't do it. I think that children/teens who drink should be put into counseling mandatorily because the behavior screams of problems outside of the norm and know that if I would have been offered a way out of my problems would have taken advantage of it! Kids who drink are screaming for help.

I hope this helps your paper! Nana

Answer 7

1. I was 10. Homemade wine.
2. Yuck.
3. Curiosity. It looked like my parents and grandparents were enjoying it, so I asked for a taste.
4. They could make a 6-pack last all summer.
5. What they did of it, yeah.
6. Yes.
7. I can make a case of beer last a year. I probably have a drink of Irish whiskey or some schnapps every other week. For a while, I was trying to drink one glass a day of red wine, but I couldn't seem to form the habit.
8. Whiskey for the taste. Peppermint schnapps settles my stomach. Red wine, one glass a day, is good for the heart.
9. Mid 50s.
10. My son is a grandfather. Yes, he's allowed to drink.
11. I don't like the law. I think kids should be allowed to buy 3.2 beer at 12, 6.0 beer at 14, so they aren't learning to drive and learning to drink at the same time. I think parents should be allowed to let their kids have wine, even when they are eating out. It seems to work OK in Europe that way.
12. A really cold beer on a really hot day is really refreshing - but if you're drinking to get stupid, you're halfway there before you start.

Answer 8

First, have you spoken to your teacher about this? Whether it's high school or college, he/she might (and should!) have problems with a teenager doing such a paper for an English class (I'd at least understand it for a Psychology or Sociology class!).

Second, don't trust the responses of strangers. I had a very similar report for a college-level Sociology class, and was stunned at the obviously bogus answers that respondents gave; not only that, but the other "researchers" in my group had clearly filled-out the sheets on their own at the last minute (considering that we each had to distribute 25 questionnaires, they must have had a sore wrist when they were done!).

Third, even assuming this is legit, there aren't too many people who are going to give you answers on this website while using their web ID's, which they might use on other websites, and, thus, may get them into trouble, no matter how innocuous this may seem to be. Again, don't expect too many honest answers (even among friends and relatives).

Fourth, you would have been better off creating an online poll using any of a myriad of such free websites (of course, you would have had to create your own website to "host" it, but there are lots of freebies, there, too!). Then, you could have simply listed the link instead of all the questions, above (again, however, the responses are not to be trusted).

Kinda makes ya wonder how the professional researchers and pollsters do it, eh? ;)

Good luck!

P.S. I admire the fact that you asked a question which cleverly allows users to answer in virtually any way they wish - - honestly or otherwise - - pretty much without fear of getting a negative rating or being reported (not that such bothers too many people on this site, and there are certainly thosse who give negative ratings willy-nilly; although, I suppose, since I didn't answer your poll, *I* might get "hit" with such!). ;)

Answer 9

1. I was 15 years old.
2. Everything was funny to me.
3. I thought it was cool and my friend and I wanted to.
4. My mom is.
5. No.
6. No.
7. NA
8. I don't have the need for it. I can live without it. My husband is also a recovering alcoholic (7 months sobriety).
9. 34.
10. No.
11. It's against the law. I don't approve of it.
12. I don't like it.

Answer 10

1.) 12
2.) hmm nice
3.) Parents offered it at a meal
4.) Not really, the odd one or two
5.) Only at meals
6.)Yes but i still staying sober
7.) Once every two weeks
8.) hmmm what you mean by question?
9.) 20
10.) I dont have any kids...
11.) I dont approve of anyone underage getting drunk, however i dont see the harm with them haveing a drink with family over a meal.
12.) Its nice in moderation, and people should understand more the effect of alchol long term on the body