Red Ribbon Week, a national drug prevention observance reaching millionsof youth, is almost here. There are countless opportunities fororganizations such as yours to participate and conduct activities thatraise awareness about the tragic consequences of underage alcohol use.Help prevent underage drinking today and encourage youth to live ahealthy, alcohol-free lifestyle.
Underage drinking prevention materials to support the 2009 Red RibbonWeek <http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/RedRibbonWeek/index.htm>observance are available.
Why Be Concerned With Underage Alcohol Use1
* In 2008, about 10.1 million persons aged 12 to 20 (26.4 percentof this age group) reported drinking alcohol in the past month. * Approximately 6.6 million (17.4 percent) were binge drinkers,and 2.1 million (5.5 percent) were heavy drinkers. * A majority of current underage drinkers in 2008 reported thattheir last use of alcohol in the past month occurred either in someoneelse's home (56.2 percent) or their own home (29.6 percent). * The good news is that the rates for current and binge alcoholuse are lower than they were in 2007, when they were 27.9 and 18.6percent, respectively. Rates of current, binge, and heavy alcohol useamong underage persons declined between 2002 and 2008. Current usedropped from 28.8 to 26.4 percent; binge use declined from 19.3 to 17.4percent; and heavy use declined from 6.2 to 5.5 percent.
However, there is still work to be done-alcohol continues to affect toomany of our youth. Underage alcohol use contributes to risky behaviorssuch as violence and drunk driving as well as poor academic performance.Youth who use alcohol before age 15 are 5 times more likely to becomealcohol dependent than adults who began drinking at age 21 and are atmuch higher risk for serious health consequences as adults.
We can prevent the enormous toll that alcohol takes on our society-starttalking to your children about the consequences of underage alcohol usebefore they start drinking.
1Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2009.Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: NationalFindings (electronic version). Retrieved fromhttp://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k8nsduh/2k8Results.cfm#3.2
Underage drinking prevention materials to support the 2009 Red RibbonWeek <http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/RedRibbonWeek/index.htm>observance are available.
Why Be Concerned With Underage Alcohol Use1
* In 2008, about 10.1 million persons aged 12 to 20 (26.4 percentof this age group) reported drinking alcohol in the past month. * Approximately 6.6 million (17.4 percent) were binge drinkers,and 2.1 million (5.5 percent) were heavy drinkers. * A majority of current underage drinkers in 2008 reported thattheir last use of alcohol in the past month occurred either in someoneelse's home (56.2 percent) or their own home (29.6 percent). * The good news is that the rates for current and binge alcoholuse are lower than they were in 2007, when they were 27.9 and 18.6percent, respectively. Rates of current, binge, and heavy alcohol useamong underage persons declined between 2002 and 2008. Current usedropped from 28.8 to 26.4 percent; binge use declined from 19.3 to 17.4percent; and heavy use declined from 6.2 to 5.5 percent.
However, there is still work to be done-alcohol continues to affect toomany of our youth. Underage alcohol use contributes to risky behaviorssuch as violence and drunk driving as well as poor academic performance.Youth who use alcohol before age 15 are 5 times more likely to becomealcohol dependent than adults who began drinking at age 21 and are atmuch higher risk for serious health consequences as adults.
We can prevent the enormous toll that alcohol takes on our society-starttalking to your children about the consequences of underage alcohol usebefore they start drinking.
1Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2009.Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: NationalFindings (electronic version). Retrieved fromhttp://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k8nsduh/2k8Results.cfm#3.2
No comments:
Post a Comment