The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence fights the stigma and the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions.

NCADD News Release

For More Information, Contact: Ames Sweet, Director of Communications 212/269-7797, ext. 16

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For Immediate Release February 28, 2002

LET'S NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE REAL QUESTION NEW YORK, NY -- Teenage drinking is a serious problem in America, and has been for many years. New statistics released February 26, 2002 indicating that underage drinkers account for 25 percent of alcohol consumption have come into question by researchers and other professionals and have created a debate about analysis and methodology. (According to the 2000 Household Survey on Drug Abuse, a yearly poll of 25,000 people, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the real figure is more like 11 percent.) Whatever the numbers, the real question remains: what can be done about this critical public health issue? In response to questions about the statistics issued by Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Stacia Murphy, President of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence commented, "Regardless of the debate, the bottom line is that alcohol is not a drink for children. Alcohol is a drug - a powerful, mood-altering drug that affects children's changing and developing hormonal systems. This is a critical public health issue and we need to stop abdicating responsibility and worrying about percentage points." Early use of alcohol can draw children into a host of problems and aggravate existing ones; alcohol may have profound and persistent effects on children's physical and psychological development, even into adulthood. According to former Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., children who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism in adulthood than those children who do not begin consuming alcohol until the legal age of 21. Unfortunately, as Dr. Satcher noted in an interview with NCADD, "Alcohol is the drug most frequently used by American teenagers. It is consumed more frequently than all other illicit drugs combined and is the drug most likely to be associated with injury or death." NCADD has been working to address the problem of underage drinking for over twenty years: advocating for public policy changes, producing public service announcements and public awareness campaigns, coordinating efforts with other organizations, and developing effective resources. Collaborations with the Weekly Reader magazine, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Child Welfare League of America have brought the problem out into the open and have highlighted the need for early intervention. A video produced by NCADD, hosted by Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep, "What Should I Tell My Child About Drinking?" looks at the need for parents and other caregivers to take responsibility for discussing alcohol with children, which includes examining their own drinking habits and developing specific rules and consequences for violation of those rules. The video also highlights "teachable moments" to instruct parents about how they can initiate alcohol-related conversations with their children when they are likely to hear key messages. With offices in New York and Washington, and a nationwide network of Affiliates, NCADD provides education, information, help and hope to the public. Founded in 1944 by Marty Mann, the first woman to find long-term sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, NCADD advocates prevention, intervention, and treatment. In April 2002, NCADD will sponsor the sixteenth annual Alcohol Awareness Month. The theme is "Recovery: It's a Family Affair - and Everyone's Invited!" For more information, visit: www.ncadd.org. ###

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.

244 East 58th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022 phone: 212/269-7797   fax: 212/269-7510 email: national@ncadd.org   http://www.ncadd.org HOPE LINE: 800/NCA-CALL (24-hour Affiliate referral)