New Study Shines Light on Underage Drinking Rates
More than a quarter of youth who are 12-20 (27.6 percent) drank alcohol in the past month, according to the results of a survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The study shows that the underage drinking rates were as high as 40 percent in some states such as North Dakota and Vermont.
As a result, you might come across a slew of new ads geared towards educating parents about this epidemic.
SAMHSA and the Ad Council today launched the national ads to encourage parents to talk to their children about drinking alcohol at an early age. The campaign and study are being released in conjunction with Alcohol Awareness Month (April) and as part of the Surgeon General’s “Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking.”
According to SAMHSA, alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among youth's and it contributes to the three leading causes of death among 12-20-year-olds (unintentional injury, homicide and suicide). Research also shows that those who start drinking before age 15 are six times more likely to have alcohol problems as adults than those who start drinking at age 21 or older.
Additionally, the study also reveals that nationwide, approximately 8.6 percent of past-month drinkers aged 12-20 purchased their own alcohol the last time they drank. The rates were among the highest in Louisiana and the District of Columbia (18.8 percent) and among the lowest in Alaska (3.1 percent) and New Mexico (3.7 percent).
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