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Protect America's Kids from Alcohol
Alcohol use by young people is extremely dangerous -- both to themselves and society at large. Underage alcohol use is associated with traffic fatalities, violence, unsafe sex, suicide, educational failure, and other problems that diminish the prospects of future success.
Underage drinking costs society $53 billion a year – $19 billion from traffic crashes and $29 billion from violent crime.

Alcohol is the leading contributor to the leading causes of adolescent death.

Recent research shows that over 95 percent of the adults in this country who are alcohol dependent started drinking before they were 21.

New research indicates that alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs act differently on adolescent brains as they are growing than they do on fully mature brains. For some, early use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs may actually change brain development in long-lasting and detrimental ways.

Ninety percent of 12th graders report that alcohol is "very easy" or "fairly easy" to get.

Youth report that when they drink, they usually drink an average of four and a half drinks.

Youth saw more beer and ale advertising in 2001 than they saw advertising for gum, cookies, crackers, or sneakers.

In 2004 youth saw 30% more alcohol ads on television than they did in 2001.

Why is underage drinking so pervasive? What can be done to prevent it? Policies that are effective in reducing underage drinking are seldom enacted because the alcohol industry has too much to lose. Between 12 and 20 percent of all the alcohol consumed in this country is drunk by people who are legally too young to drink at all.

Alcohol-industry lobbyists want to protect the profits they gain from underage drinkers. Instead of supporting real solutions that would reduce drinking by young people, the industry hides behind a smokescreen of disingenuous disclaimers about "responsible" drinking, or "voluntary" guidelines not to market beer and distilled spirits to youth. But these claims are completely contradicted by the staggering amount of money the industry spends on flashy, irresponsible, youth-targeted alcohol marketing through advertising and sports sponsorships.

Isn't there something that can be done? The answer is yes! The Institute of Medicine's report, Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility, proposes solid, research-based policy solutions to the problem. It explores the ways in which may different individuals and groups contribute to the problem and how they can be enlisted to prevent it:

Design scientifically based, multipronged community initiatives that are designed for the specific problems in the community;

Increase alcohol prices through taxes, particularly on beer;

Support for local and national efforts to reduce underage drinking by state and federal governments;

Limit alcohol advertising and marketing targeted at young people;

Implement a national media campaign that counters alcohol industry messages and uses social marketing to affect attitudes and behavior;

Adopt and enforce laws to prevent alcohol-related deaths and injuries among young people;

Limit youth access to alcohol by effectively enforcing minimum drinking-age laws;

Promote alcohol free events for kids;

Expand counseling and support for kids, especially those with addicted parents.

Assess the effectiveness of specific interventions to ensure that they are grounded in evidence-based approaches.

Read more about these recommendations in the Institute of Medicine's report, Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility.

We know how to reduce underage drinking. Now we need to raise our voices. Sign the petition today.


PLEASE help SAVE OUR CHILDREN