Understand Your Rights. Solve Your Legal Problems
The average person in the United States has their first drink before the age of 17. Underage drinking is a major issue in society, and the more we study it, the worse it seems to get.
It's not limited to health issues, either. Teen drinking is illegal and is one of many legal problems that are linked to drinking. Criminal issues only compound the other problems.
While some would argue that it's like teenagers to rebel, the effects of underage drinking on individuals and society are quite detrimental. We'll discuss the consequences of underage drinking in this article.
Alcohol's effects on the brain aren't psychological so much as neurological. This means that alcohol alters the brain itself, changing structures within the brain and making some of its effects permanent.
Brain scans of teenagers show that those who drink heavily see deficits in the development of white matter. White matter describes nerves within the brain that have not yet fully developed.
What does white matter do, though, and what happens to us when it's damaged? The answer is a lot of things. White matter plays a role in learning and memory, so excessive drinking can cause a lowered ability to focus, difficulty retaining information, or even significant intellectual deficits.
There's no guarantee that a teen who drinks is going to engage in other criminal activities, but there is a significant risk. Alcohol is attractive and dangerous for the same reason, which is that it makes us more impulsive.
Acting on impulse makes it easier to do a lot of things. Perhaps there's somebody at your work or school that you've had your eye on, but are too nervous to talk to. Maybe you have a talent that you want to show the world but also have stage fright.
The problem is that it also hinders our ability to fully comprehend the consequences of our actions, and the results are often horrific. Statistics show that one-quarter of all assaults and one-third of all rapes are committed by people under the influence of alcohol.
Among legal issues, drunk driving deserves a lot of attention. Statistics in 2015 revealed that over 120 million cases of drunk driving occurred per year. Other studies have shown that about 17% of all drunk driving incidents involved underage drinking.
This works out to over 20 million underage drunk drivers on the road in any given year. Assuming a teen driving drunk doesn't cause an accident; there's still the risk of them getting pulled over and getting a teen DUI charge.
The good news is that getting help with first-offense DUI charges isn't that hard. There are plenty of great lawyers willing to your case. You can learn about a few in Alabama, for instance, by clicking the link.
One problem that doesn't get talked about enough when it comes to teen drinking is teen alcoholism. The younger you are when you start drinking, the more profound alcohol's effects are likely to be. Among the ways this plays out is an increased chance of dependency for those who drink at a younger age.
This shows in society. Across all age ranges, the age group with the highest number of alcoholics is the early-mid 20s.
One of the hallmark traits of alcoholism at any age is binge drinking or drinking a large number of drinks over a short period. Binge drinking can be especially dangerous for teens since they're often smaller than adults and not as mentally mature.
Alcohol poisoning is a potentially deadly issue associated with binge drinking. At first, alcohol poisoning looks like nothing more than being drunk, with symptoms like confusion and vomiting. However, if the person is allowed to keep drinking, symptoms can escalate, making the issue far more serious.
If a person begins breathing less and turns blue, call 911. Other things to look out for include seizures, lowered body temperature, and unconsciousness. It's important to get help immediately in these situations because alcohol poisoning can be fatal if left untreated.
Many of the issues caused by alcoholism aren't immediate. Over time, heavy drinking can lead to issues with circulation, including high blood pressure, as well as an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
Alcohol is also a known carcinogen, meaning that it's been linked to several types of cancer. The exact cause of cancer is still unknown, but alcohol alters the body in several ways that increase cancer risk. It damages organs and alters hormone levels.
It also affects the structure of DNA and can cause our cells to change in certain ways. One negative mutation our cells can take on is the loss of reproductive control. When our cells can't stop themselves from reproducing, they can split too many times, which results in a tumor.
The effects of underage drinking, and drinking in general, are often serious. From higher chances of addiction to conduct issues and problems with the law, alcohol can harm us in a lot of different ways.
We've discussed some of them here, but entire books have been written on the effects of underage drinking. There's a lot more information out there than we could even dream of covering in one article, so we encourage you to do more research if you're interested.
You can learn more about lawyers and the law by reading the other articles on our site.
Alextra Accountants advised Absolute Solutions Group in Crewe, while Dains Accountants and Bevan Rose Corporate Solicitors advised the buyer.
Based in Cheshire, Absolute Solutions Group has a large blue-chip customer base in both Cheshire and Staffordshire, with its team operating out of additional branches in Winsford and Crewe. Subsidiaries of the company include Absolute Recruitment, Absolute Commercial, Absolute Health and Care and Bralin Recruitment.
Wrexham-based gap personnel is one of the largest industrial recruitment providers in the UK and is part of the TSE-listed Open Up Group Ltd. The firm boasts more than 300 employees and a group turnover of £200 million. With its acquisition of Absolute Solutions Group, the two firms will gain access to expanded technologies, talent and infrastructure to grow their mutual footprint in the UK recruitment market. The deal also happens to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the founding of Absolute Solutions Group.
Absolute Solutions Group joint chief executive Dan Marshall hailed the merger. “The cultural fit between Absolute and gap personnel is perfectly aligned, enabling us to build on our ambitious five-year growth plan and expand nationwide,” he said in a statement. “Our people-focused recruitment model combined with the geographic and operational infrastructure of gap personnel places us in an ideal position to bid for new client contracts, and introduce new cutting-edge technologies to streamline and strengthen our service.”
Jonathan Aldersley, Butcher & Barlow:
The deal was complicated by having a split exchange and completion and also having agreed a completion date for the first working day back after Christmas! The deal needed to be the right one for the existing shareholders and management team as they would be retaining a 40% stake in the business. We have been involved with the business since its incorporation and have advised on various matters over those 20 years. Knowing the individuals involved so well enabled us to understand what was driving their negotiations and any points of concern which they may have had.
Having over 25 years’ experience in dealing with corporate transactions, it was important to not lose sight of the fact that this was not just ’another deal‘ for the clients. Often, these deals represent the biggest single decision that they will make in life and are about safeguarding their future. It is important to identify the objectives of the client and then to draw on the experience over a number of years with other transactions in order to ensure that these objectives are met. One key skill is to identify which areas are non-negotiable and which areas can be conceded in order to obtain the key objectives. By having a good working relationship with the client, it enables these points to be identified.
The one major obstacle was related to the deadlines and the time difference between the UK and the buyer’s parent company based in Japan. The time difference meant we would lose several hours in the day leading up to exchange, given that we were working to a Japanese timescale. It simply meant we had to be organised well ahead of the deadline and start even earlier than normal!
ITM Communications is a Milton Keynes-based firm that offers IT solutions, specialising in the survey, design, installation and support of network infrastructure. In 2022, ITM directors Lynda Ayris, Mark Barber and Mike Jackson undertook a strategic review, after which they planned to identify a strategic partner to invest in the firm. Aliter Capital was selected to become the majority shareholder of ITM, with two of its partners joining the firm’s board alongside the three ITM directors.
In the wake of the investment, ITM’s focus will be on accelerating its growth and development, with expanded capabilities and capacity identified as a particular target. “Securing an exciting future for ITM has been in the planning for quite a while and is a considered, strategic decision for us,” the ITM directors said in a statement.
Blake-Turner acted for the seller with partner Paul Cooper as lead, assisted by now-partner Hannah Starling.
Salini is a family-owned firm with a strong presence in various slices of the real estate market. The firm is best known for its expertise in the construction of business parks, turnkey building renovation and contractor, promotion and development matters. Salini posted a turnover of €56.8 million in 2021 for an EBITDA of €4.1 million.
The LBO was supported by Invest Corporate Finance as corporate financial advisors and also by Trocadero Capital Partners as investors. The operation also modified Salini’s internal governance, with former deputy managing director Serge de Oliveira now heading up the company. The transition was supported by the Salini family, who heavily reinvested.
Alerion advised Salini on the matter with a team led by managing partner Pierre-Olivier Brouard alongside partner Philippe Pescayre and counsels Karine Khau-Castelle and Julien Lebel.
IDA was founded in Milan in December 2022 by eight partners representing some of the main companies in the sector: Microsoft, Equinix, Rai Way, Data4, STACK EMEA Infrastructure, Digital Realty, Vantage Data Centers and CBRE Data Centers. IDA is well-placed to establish itself as the voice of Italian data centres at an institutional level.
Studio Rock’s third sector team advised on IDA’s establishment from beginning to end, led by equity partner Paola Favati and supported by associate Michele Guerrieri. The studio will continue to fill the role of tax and legal consultant for IDA moving forwards.
Watson & Co provided Dobbs Logistics with financial advice, while Evelyn Partners advised the buyer.
Dobbs Logistics is a UK family firm that was founded in 1961 and provides pallet distribution, project cargo, haulage and warehousing services. Hong Kong-based global freight forwarding and supply chain services company EV Cargo acquired the firm as a means to develop its Palletforce subsidiary, strengthening the position of its services in Southeast England. It intends to retain Dobbs directors Stephen Morgan, Kevin Manser and Lynton Manser following the merger, along with their management team.
In a statement on the deal, Morgan said: “EV Cargo’s Palletforce network is renowned for excellence, and we are delighted to join a business which puts its members and customers first. We are looking forward to further developing our services, business proposition and securing the long-term future of the business.”
Gaby Hardwicke Solicitors advised the shareholders of Dobbs Logistics with a team led by corporate finance partner Mark Williams.
France-based Xynergy Groupe is a leading European producer of health products and programmes. Its offering will be bolstered through the addition of Jane Plan, a London-based firm specialising in tailored diet food delivery programmes. Jane Plan’s meal plans are portion- and calorie-controlled and supported by a team of nutritionists and behavioural psychologists, who offer psychological support and guidance.
Edwin Coe advised the buyer on corporate matters with a team led by partner Alexandre Terrasse and associate Nilufar Shahpanahi, in addition to various members of the firm’s employment, property, intellectual property and IT practices.
Campa Avvocati advised the seller. Mario was assisted by colleagues Emanuele Rossi, partner and Pietro Miazzi, associate of the firm.
CSG comprises a group of American investors, graduates from the Wharton School of Business, with particular experience in the sports world and a focus on the NBA, sports marketing and financial markets in America and Europe. They are focused on buying and developing sporting franchises all over the world. Founded by Richard de Meo, Fitzann R. Reid, Prab S. Sekhon, Richard Johnson, John Jefferies, and former NFL player Connor Barwin,This deal will see the group’s formal entry into the international sports market. The remaining 10% of the company’s shares not acquired by CSG will remain with a group of local shareholders.
The deal is notable for facilitating the second American ownership at the highest level of professional basketball in Italy, the only previous ownership being the 1999 acquisition of Olimpia Milano by Italian-American entrepreneur Pasquale Caputo.
Mario Abate is a prominent figure in the market whose practice focuses on M&A, cross-border transactions and international joint ventures predominantly between the United States and Italy and start ups of U.S. business entities
Seasons Leisure Division is a subsidiary of property firm Aspen Group Ltd. With the execution of the transaction, Seasons Leisure Division completed the sale of all of its rights in the ‘Kfar Hayam’ Hotel, including its shares in the resort village’s management company and all assets contained within the hotel itself. The deal was completed with a consideration of NIS 110 million, excluding VAT.
Goldfarb Gross Seligman & Co. advised the seller with a team led by Israel Aziel, head of the firm’s real estate department, as well as partner Yael Mirone Mezamer, attorney Liat Buhnik and intern Bar Madmon.
Originally opened as Terra Nova, The Dock changed its name in 2016 following a £1.25 million refurbishment. Its acquisition adds to Croseo Pubs’ five existing Cardiff venues: The Philharmonic, Brewhouse, Retro, Blue Bell and Daffodil. Former Croeso director Simon Little hailed The Dock’s addition to the company’s roster.
“It is a massive venue that has huge potential, and we can’t wait to get it open again and return it to its rightful place as the number one venue in Cardiff Bay,” Little said in a statement. “We are offering all former staff members their jobs back, as well as creating around 20 more full-time and part-time positions. The Dock will be open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner using local fresh produce with a menu created by our very own executive chef Jamie Newman.”
Hek Jones associate and head of commercial property Asif Moghal took the lead on advising on the deal.
