Alcoholism, a word that touches the nerves in many homes. It is a broad term for any alcohol use that causes mental or physical health problems. It is an ongoing problem that can lead to serious consequences. Its effects vary between different countries. The countries I chose to research are the United States, Canada and Ireland. The population of the United States (US) is 326, 766, 748 million and is the largest of the three countries. The second largest is Canada with 36,950,000 million. And the smallest of the three is Ireland with 4,803,748 million. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The rate of alcoholism is truly staggering. Of the total US population, 30% are considered drug addicts. 14 million are adults between 18 and 35 years old and 3 million are adolescents between 14 and 17 years old. Canada, although similar in size to the United States, has the lowest rate of alcohol abuse at 19%. Although it has the lowest percentage, it also has the youngest recorded drinking age at 12, even though the legal drinking age is 18. It is a bigger problem with the male population being 23.8% compared to the female population being 14 years old. 2%. Of the three countries, Ireland has the highest rate of alcoholism, at 39%. They are considered adults at the age of 15 and drinking alcohol is basically a tradition. They have various pubs, parties and festivals, however most are reported to be binge drinking and, like Canada, is more prevalent in the male population. What makes consumption more widespread in one country than in another? Some people suggest that it may be related to the development of a country IS. The United States and Canada are very similar and both are considered developed countries. They are considered developed due to more developed skills and labor industry, higher wages, education and modern technology. Both have a variety of industries and are able to employ multiple skills and education levels. There are also many ways to transact money thanks to the various outlets provided by modern technology. This is crucial as using a debit/credit card is the most frequent way to spend money and these options are available 24 hours a day. Education is very important and in Canada and the United States it is a right guaranteed free up to the 12th grade, with the exception of private schools. It is encouraged and highly valued in both countries which also have a wide range of choices at the collegiate level for higher education. In Ireland, unfortunately, this is not the case. Ireland is considered underdeveloped. They have poor industry, low wages, very little access to modern technology, and most people have no education higher than 11th grade. There are so many everyday factors that attribute to alcoholism. In the United States and Canada they once again share some of the same reasoning. Some of the major contributing factors are stress, mental health, exposure and drinking at an early age, family history, and drug use with alcohol. Family history is one of the most important factors. Children grow up in homes where alcohol is consumed and abused morning, noon and night. They see it as a crutch and a problem solver. Some children are even allowed, while others are encouraged, to consume it on their own. They see it advertised as something that increases fun in social and party settings and are attracted to the sense of euphoria that seems to result from it. However, in Ireland the scenario is different. It is easily available there and very cheap. Most pubs and businesses compete for the most prices.