Each day, 5400 kids in the United States under the age of 16 take their first drink. 1 * Of the people who began drinking before age 14, 47% became dependent at some point, compared with 9% of those who began drinking at age 21 or older. 2 * 63% of 8th-graders and 83% of 10th-graders believe that alcohol is readily available to them for consumption. 3 * Almost 20% of 8th-graders, and 41% of 10th-graders have been drunk at least once.3 * Ninth-grade girls now report consuming almost as much alcohol as ninth-grade boys: 36.2% of girls and 36.3% of boys reported drinking in the past month, and 17.3% of girls and 20.7% of boys reported binge drinking.4 * 33.9% of ninth-grade students reported having consumed alcohol before they were age 13. In contrast, only 18.6% of ninth-graders reported having smoked cigarettes, and 11.2% reported having used marijuana before they were age 13.4 * Rates of drinking differ among racial and ethnic minority groups. Among students in grades 9 to 12, 29.9% of non-Hispanic white students, 11.1% of African American students, and 25.3% of Hispanic students reported binge drinking.4 * A study of 5th-through 11th-grade students found that those who are exposed to and enjoy alcohol advertisements have more favorable beliefs about drinking and say they are more likely to drink in the future and consume more alcohol.5 1 According to a February 2006 analysis by J. Gfroerer, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, calculated using the … Video Rating: 3 / 5
Students at Myron B. Thompson Academy in Honolulu, Hawaii produced this PSA to educate the public on Hawaii’s Use and Lose Underage Drinking Law for the October 2008 Use and Lose Campaign. Sponsored by HPPUD – Hawaii Partnership to Prevent Underage Drinking, Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawaii, MADD. Check out www.teenlinehawaii.org to learn more. Video Rating: 5 / 5
