Red Ribbon Week Banner. Underage Drinking - Make It a Priority.
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Celebrating Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week, the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country, serves as a channel for communities and individuals to take a stand for the hopes and dreams of our children through a commitment to drug prevention and education and a personal commitment to live drug-free lives. This year, make underage drinking prevention a priority for your community’s Red Ribbon Week activities. Join your colleagues and neighbors in the crusade to raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking and its tragic consequences.  

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Why Be Concerned With Underage Alcohol Use1

  • In 2008, about 10.1 million persons aged 12 to 20 (26.4 percent of this age group) reported drinking alcohol in the past month.
  • Approximately 6.6 million (17.4 percent) were binge drinkers, and 2.1 million (5.5 percent) were heavy drinkers.
  • A majority of current underage drinkers in 2008 reported that their last use of alcohol in the past month occurred either in someone else’s home (56.2 percent) or their own home (29.6 percent).  
  • The good news is that the rates for current and binge alcohol use are lower than they were in 2007, when they were 27.9 and 18.6 percent, respectively. Rates of current, binge, and heavy alcohol use among underage persons declined between 2002 and 2008. Current use dropped from 28.8 to 26.4 percent; binge use declined from 19.3 to 17.4 percent; and heavy use declined from 6.2 to 5.5 percent.

However, there is still work to be done—alcohol continues to affect too many of our youth. Underage alcohol use contributes to risky behaviors such as violence and drunk driving as well as poor academic performance. Youth who use alcohol before age 15 are 5 times more likely to become alcohol dependent than adults who began drinking at age 21 and are at much higher risk for serious health consequences as adults.

We can prevent the enormous toll that alcohol takes on our society—start talking to your children about the consequences of underage alcohol use before they start drinking.

1Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2009. Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (electronic version). Retrieved from http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k8nsduh/2k8Results.cfm#3.2

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How You Can Help—Mobilize To Present a Unified Commitment

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration encourages you to participate in your community’s Red Ribbon Week planning and implementation activities. If Red Ribbon Week activities have not been planned in your local area, take a stand and organize an event. You can encourage others to sign and support a resolution on underage drinking or actively promote your local underage drinking initiative. Our collective efforts can make an impact and help us continue our mission to prevent and reduce underage alcohol use. We think you will find the following resources helpful in making underage drinking prevention an important part of your Red Ribbon Week activities.

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Resources

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Reach Out Now Poster Teaching Guide Reach Out Now Bonus Worksheets Reach Out Now Family Pages
Reach Out Now: Poster/Teaching Guide
(PDF 7MB)

Reach Out Now: Bonus Worksheets
(PDF 7MB)

Reach Out Now: Family Pages (PDF 5MB)
Underage Drinking: Myths vs. Facts Start Talking Before They Start Drinking Focus on Prevention

Underage Drinking: Myths vs. Facts (PDF 4.12MB)

Start Talking Before They Start Drinking: A Family Guide
(PDF 1240KB)

Focus on Prevention
(PDF 2.08MB) 

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking The Surgeon General’s Call to Action : What it Means to You: A Guide to Action for Communities The Surgeon Generals Call to Action: What it Means to You: A Guide to Action for Educators

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking (PDF 1MB)

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking—
 What it Means to You: A Guide to Action for Communities (PDF 974KB)

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking—What it Means to You: A Guide to Action for Educators
(PDF 1MB)

The Surgeon Generals Call to Action: A Guide to Action for Families Guía de acción para las comunidades Guía de acción para las familias

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking—What it Means to You: A Guide to Action for Families
(PDF 889KB)

Llamado a la acción del Cirujano General para prevenir y reducir el consumo de alcohol por menores de edad: Lo que significa para usted—Guía de acción para las comunidades (PDF 811KB)
(Available online only)

Building Blocks for a Healthy Future Web site Stop Underage Drinking Portal of Federal Resources Too Smart To Start Web site

Building Blocks for a Healthy Future Web Site

Stop Underage Drinking Portal of Federal Resources

Too Smart To Start Web Site

For more information about these materials and how to obtain them,
please call 1–877–SAMHSA–7 to speak with an information specialist
or go to http://www.samhsa.gov/shin