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