UNDERAGE DRINKING

Did you know…

·         An early age of drinking onset is associated with alcohol-related violence not only among persons under age 21 but among adults as well.

·         The highest prevalence of both binge and heavy drinking in 2000 was for young adults aged 18 to 25, with the peak rate occurring at age 21.

·         Approximately one fifth (20.5 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in binge drinking at least once in the 30 days prior to an alcohol use survey.

·         About 10.1 million people age 12 to 20 years reported current use of alcohol in 2001 - 28.5 percent of this age group for whom alcohol is an illicit substance. Of these, nearly 6.8 million or 19 percent were binge drinkers and 2.1 million or 6 percent were heavy drinkers.

·         The median age at which children begin drinking is 13.  Young people who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21. 

·         Students who attended schools with high rates of heavy drinking experienced a greater number of secondhand effects, including disruption of sleep or studies; property damage; and verbal, physical, or sexual violence.

·         Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage among young people.

·         High school binge drinking is a major predictor of binge drinking in college.

·         In 2001, 25 percent of the young drivers 15 to 20 years old who were killed in crashes were intoxicated.

·         The total cost attributable to the consequences of underage drinking was more than $58 billion per year in 1998 dollars. 

·         More than 40 percent of individuals who start drinking before the age of 13 will develop alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence at some point in their lives.   

·         Youth who drink before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21.