| "Alcohol remains the most heavily abused | | | | underage drinking culture that has kids |
| substance by America's youth," said | | | | feeling like "everyone is doing it" and |
| acting Surgeon General Kenneth | | | | that it's "no big deal." In G-rated |
| Moritsugu. At least 11 million kids are | | | | films, nearly 50% of the characters were |
| underage drinkers, with nearly 7.2 | | | | shown consuming alcohol without |
| million of them binge drinking, which | | | | consequence, for example. The National |
| means having more than five drinks per | | | | Bureau of Economic Research released a |
| occasion. Moritsugu says we need to have | | | | report saying that reducing or |
| a "change in the culture and attitude | | | | eliminating alcohol ads would |
| toward drinking in America." While | | | | significantly decrease underage and |
| underage tobacco and illicit drug use | | | | binge drinking. |
| has decreased over the years, underage | | | | They found that young kids really liked |
| drinking remains a prevalent | | | | the Budweiser talking lizards and Spuds |
| "rite-of-passage." However, "Research | | | | MacKenzie dog, as well as the colorfully |
| shows that young people who start | | | | packaged drinks like Smirnoff and Skyy |
| drinking before the age of 15 are five | | | | Blue. From an economic standpoint, the |
| times more likely to have | | | | "Alcohol Advertising and Alcohol |
| alcohol-related problems later in life," | | | | Consumption by Adolescents Working |
| Moritsugu warns. | | | | Paper" (Saffer & Dave) indicated that |
| Many parents struggle to find answers. | | | | doubling the prices of alcoholic drinks |
| Why is drinking while underage so | | | | would decrease underage drinking by 28% |
| alluring? The teenage years are a | | | | and reduce binge drinking by 51%. |
| relatively long period of maturation | | | | "Advertising is one thing, but just the |
| where kids are continually pushing their | | | | prevalence [of alcohol] itself is |
| minds, bodies and boundaries to the | | | | normalizing," says NIH peer pressure |
| limit. Many kids enjoy the physical | | | | study leader Bruce Simons-Morton. |
| feeling of being "drunk" and their | | | | "Parents tend to see underage drinking |
| bodies are naturally more susceptible to | | | | and occasional binging as a rite of |
| the negative effects of alcohol, like | | | | passage, rather than a deadly round of |
| drowsiness, withdrawal or lack of | | | | Russian roulette," the Columbia National |
| coordination, which explains why binge | | | | Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse |
| drinking is so common later on. | | | | study reported. Approximately 5,000 |
| Some kids drink to cover up behavior | | | | minors died in alcohol related |
| problems, antisocial tendencies, | | | | incidents, including 1,900 car crashes, |
| aggression, depression, anxiety, low | | | | 1,600 homicides, 300 suicides and |
| self-esteem or shyness. Drinking while | | | | hundreds of other falls, burns, and |
| underage can be encouraged by genetic or | | | | drownings. |
| environmental factors as well. According | | | | As a community, the National Institute |
| to the NIAAA, children whose parents are | | | | of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism |
| alcoholics are 4-10 times more likely to | | | | recommends that we raise alcohol prices, |
| develop addiction alcoholism. | | | | increase Zero Tolerance laws, improve |
| Perhaps we can combat underage drinking | | | | school based prevention programs, commit |
| through more subtle social and economic | | | | to law enforcement and develop |
| changes. One theory suggests that | | | | family-based treatment/prevention |
| advertising is helping to foster an | | | | programs. |