Frequently Asked Questions

Preventing Underage Alcohol Use

How common is underage drinking?

Alcohol is the drug of choice for America’s adolescents. More 8th, 10th, and 12th graders drink alcohol than use tobacco or other drugs.¹

How many young people in the United States drink alcohol?

In 2009, more than 10.4 million young people aged 12 to 20 used alcohol, or about one out of four in this age group. Among those who used alcohol, about 6.9 million (18.1 percent) were binge drinkers, meaning that they had five or more drinks on one occasion.²

When do young people first begin drinking?

Alcohol use begins early and increases rapidly with age. In 2009, rates of current alcohol use were 3.5 percent among 12- and 13-year-olds, 13 percent of 14- and 15-year-olds, 26.3 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds, and 49.7 percent of 18- to 20-year-olds.²

On an average day, approximately 7,540 adolescents aged 12 to 17 will drink alcohol for the first time.⁴

Does early use of alcohol increase the risk of alcohol dependence?

Yes. In 2009, adults who had first used alcohol at age 14 or younger were more than six times as likely to be classified with alcohol dependence or abuse than were those who had their first drink at age 21 or older (16.5 percent vs. 2.5 percent).⁵

When should parents, caregivers, and other adults begin to talk with young people about underage drinking?

It is never too early to talk with young people about the need to avoid underage drinking and its consequences. Although most 6-year-olds know that alcohol is only for adults, children between the ages of 9 and 13 start to think that alcohol use by younger people is okay. Among 12- and 13-year-olds, 3.5 percent already are current alcohol users. ⁷

Why is underage drinking everyone’s problem?

Underage drinking is a public health problem that affects the safety and well-being of everyone in a community—not just underage drinkers and their families. For example, about 45 percent of people who die in car crashes involving a drinking driver under age 21 are people other than the driver.⁸

What does underage drinking cost the United States?

The estimated cost of underage drinking in 2007 was $68 billion. These costs include medical care, work loss, and pain and suffering associated with the multiple consequences of underage drinking.⁹ Visit the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center for estimates of costs by State.

Can underage drinking be prevented?

Yes, underage drinking can be prevented. In fact, both current and binge drinking by 12- to 20-year-olds steadily decreased between 2002 and 2009.¹⁰ This progress may have stalled in 2009, which only indicates that families, schools, and others in the community need to continue and strengthen their prevention efforts.

How can parents, teachers, and other adults help prevent underage drinking?

Parents, teachers, and other adults play a vital role in influencing the attitudes and behaviors of young people toward alcohol. Adults can:

• Talk with young people about the potential health, social, and legal consequences of underage drinking.
• Convey clear and consistent messages that underage drinking is unacceptable.
• Help young people build the practical skills to reject alcohol.
• Support and reinforce the ability of young people to make healthy decisions.
• Organize events, such as Town Hall Meetings, to engage young people and others in the community in using evidence-based approaches to prevent underage drinking.

Where can I find information on effective prevention approaches?

SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs is a searchable online registry of more than 200 interventions supporting mental health promotion, substance abuse prevention, and mental health and substance abuse treatment. Search under "underage drinking" for programs to prevent and reduce underage drinking.

Another source of information is the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS). APIS provides detailed information on a wide variety of alcohol-related policies at both State and Federal levels.

Sources:

¹ Johnston, L. D., O’Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2011). Monitoring the Future national results on adolescent drug use: Overview of Key Findings, 2010. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan.

^{2, 3, 5, 7, 10} Office of Applied Studies. (2010). Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Volume I. Summary of national findings (NSDUH Series H-38A, HHS Publication No. SMA 10-4856Findings). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

⁴ Office of Applied Studies. (April 29, 2010). The OAS report: A day in the life of American adolescents: Substance use facts update. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

⁶ Office of Applied Studies. (2007). The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: A Guide to Action for Families. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.).

^{8, 9} Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center. Underage drinking costs: Problems and costs associated with underage drinking in the United States.