Alcoholic drinks White Claws, Trulys, Corona Seltzers, and many more have become more popular during COVID-19.

This is troubling.

San Luis Obispo is not alone in the overconsumption of these new brands. Coming out in 2016, White Claws has not lost traction with the craze.

It also does not help that most of the United States has been on a mandatory lockdown which increased White Claw sales by four times the original making it around two point seven billion dollars in just 52 weeks. Beer was also up by eleven percent but hard seltzers including mainly Truly and White Claws were up by 244 percent.

Although White Claws have been glamorized for the hidden taste of alcohol, lack of calories, and marketing, these drinks pose a big threat on high schoolers.

The creative design and flavor make the attraction and desire to drink for underage students so much stronger.

“In 2018, 7.1 million young people ages 12–20 reported that they drank alcohol beyond ‘just a few sips’ in the past month,” said a study by The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 

White Claws and other hard seltzers are a drink containing carbonhation, alcohol, five percent to be exact, and other fruit flavoring. Some have deemed them the alcoholic La Croix.

  It’s no doubt that alcohol is a problem when consumed in copious amounts but poses to be even more of a threat for those underage who are risking much more.

  “It is so bad for your liver and teen brains aren’t developed yet so it involves a high risk,” said senior Ved Kenjale. 

From the same study we know, “Among its many effects on the brain and brain function—such as impairing balance, motor coordination, and decision making—alcohol interferes with the drinker’s ability to form memories,” when questioned the difference of drinking for adults and children.

All these factors help us determine why some teens may be drinking, but statistics show why they should not. 

Still, what real solutions are there to stop underage drinking?

“I think that the drinking age should be eighteen because if you can go into war or join the police academy, you should also be allowed to drink. I don’t think White Claws or similar drinks are that bad and getting rid of them is not going to make teenagers stop drinking,” said senior Catie Leebrick. 

sources: quartz.com National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism