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

NCADD Campaign to Prevent Kids from Drinking

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO PREVENT KIDS FROM DRINKING

Too many kids are drinking. Just look at the most recent government statistics: by the time they're seniors in high school, 62% of our children report they have been drunk at least once in their lives. Among other drugs (excluding tobacco), only use of marijuana comes even close, with nearly 50% of kids saying they have smoked pot.

Yet many people refuse to take the problem of underage drinking as seriously as they should. After all, they say, isn't getting drunk with your friends part of growing up in America?

Unfortunately, while the majority of kids who drink do grow up to become healthy adults, use of alcohol greatly increases the chances that they will be involved in a car crash, homicide or suicide, the leading causes of death for teenagers and young adults. In fact, a 16-year-old is more likely to die of alcohol-related causes than any other.

Adults also may be ambivalent about underage drinking because they think kids are drinking to relax or have a good time with their friends. What's the harm, they ask, if they're not drinking and driving?

Kids, however, aren't "social drinkers" who enjoy a glass of wine with their meal or go to cocktail parties. Nearly 60% say they drink when they're upset and nearly 40% drink alone. By the time they get to college 40% of them have become "binge drinkers" which means they have had five or more drinks in a row during the past two weeks.

Kids typically begin using alcohol around the age of 13, long before their minds and bodies are mature enough to handle the effects of a powerful drug. Research shows that the earlier kids start drinking the more likely they will be to develop a problem with alcohol or other drugs later in life. This risk is especially high for the 10% of eighth graders who say they have been drunk at least once during the past month.

Once kids start drinking, their world suddenly becomes a more dangerous place. Girls are more likely to be forced into unwanted sexual activity, which can result in pregnancy. Boys get into more fights and commit acts of vandalism that may escalate into more serious crimes. The academic and athletic performances of both sexes can suffer.

In short, if we care about the health of our children, we must do everything we can to discourage them from drinking for as long as possible.

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)