StopAlcoholAbuse.Gov is a comprehensive portal of Federal resources for information on underage drinking and ideas for combating this issue. People interested in underage drinking prevention—including parents, educators, community-based organizations, and youth—will find a wealth of valuable information here.

There are three action guides--specifically for families, communities, and educators--based on The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking (PDF 1MB). These guides highlight what each group can do to reduce underage alcohol use in America and help prevent the problems underage drinking causes.

Follow these links to locate information on each publication:

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking (PDF 1MB)	A Guide to Action for Families (PDF 900KB)	A Guide to Action for Communities (PDF 974KB)	A Guide to Action for Educators (PDF 1.08MB)

 

Parents Hold the Key To Preventing Underage Drinking

Parental disapproval is the key reason children who do not drink give for their decision to avoid alcohol. Even so, a recent national study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows that 1 in 16 underage drinkers was given alcoholic beverages by their parents in the past month. To learn more about underage drinking and what you can do to prevent it, select the “Parents” tab from the red navigational bar at the top of this page—or go to www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/parents.aspx—for free materials and online resources to start talking with your children about the consequences of underage alcohol use.

New Nationwide Report Estimates that 40 Percent of Underage Drinkers Received Free Alcohol from Adults Over 21

More than 40 percent of the nation’s estimated 10.8 million underage current drinkers (persons aged 12 to 20 who drank in the past 30 days) were provided free alcohol by adults 21 or older, according to a nationwide report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)released on June 26, 2008. The study also indicates that one in 16 underage drinkers (6.4 percent or 650,000) was given alcoholic beverages by their parents in the past month.

For the SAMHSA News Release containing the report's key findings and quotes from Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H, and SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D. go to:  http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/0806250013.aspx.

The complete SAMHSA report is available at: http://oas.samhsa.gov/underage2k8/toc.htm.

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance — United States, 2007

A new report summarizes results from the 2007 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey and trends between 1991–2007 in selected risk behaviors, including underage drinking. The report is published as part of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report series, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prepares. It focuses on priority health-risk behaviors, which are behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among youth and adults and often are established during childhood and adolescence, extend into adulthood, are interrelated, and are preventable. Click on the following link to access the report: www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/pdf/yrbss07_mmwr.pdf.  Please see underage drinking information on pages 14, 15, 23, and 33. See underage drinking tables on pages 42, 71, 72, 73, 74, 87, 88, 93, and 94.

Summer Is Play Time and High-Risk Season for Kids

More young people try alcohol for the first time during June and July than at any other time of the year. Keeping teens occupied and supervised helps to ensure they have a safe summer. By involving teens in a variety of alcohol-free activities—such as sports, summer camps, and outdoor recreational activities—you can help prevent underage drinking. For tips on ways parents and community leaders can create alcohol-free activities for youth, visit www.family.samhsa.gov/get/timeteenbusy.aspx.