Statistics
In 2006, the average age at first alcohol use among recent initiates aged 12 to 49 was 16.6 years. This is earlier than any other drug except inhalants.
[ref.]
[References]Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “Results from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings,” Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Applied Studies, 2007. http://oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k6nsduh/2k6Results.cfm#Ch3
Young adults aged 18 to 22 enrolled full time in college were more likely than their peers not enrolled full time to use alcohol in the past month, binge drink, and drink heavily. Past month alcohol use was reported by 66.4 percent of full-time college students compared with 54.1 percent of persons aged 18 to 22 who were not enrolled full time. Binge and heavy use rates for college students were 45.5 and 19.0 percent, respectively, compared with 38.4 and 13.3 percent, respectively, for 18 to 22 year olds not enrolled full time in college.
[ref.]
[References]Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “Results from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings,” Washington, DC: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Applied Studies, 2007. http://oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k6nsduh/2k6Results.cfm#Ch3
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.
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[References]Wechsler, Henry, et al. “Trends in College Binge Drinking During a Period of Increased Prevention Efforts.” Journal of American College Health. 50, No. 5, (2002).
Underage alcohol use is more likely to kill young people than all illegal drugs combined.
[ref.]
[References]Grunbaum, J.A., et al. "Youth risk behavior surveillance: United States, 2001." MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report51(SS0 4):1–62, 2002.
Young, S.E., et al. "Substance Use, Abuse and Dependence in Adolescence: Prevalence, Symptom Profiles and Correlates". Drug and Alcohol Dependence68(3):309–322, 2002.
High school students who use alcohol or other substances are five times more likely than other students to drop out of school or to believe that earning good grades is not important.
[ref.]
[References]National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Volume 1: Secondary School Students”, National Survey Results on Drug Use from The Monitoring the Future Study, 1975-1997. Rockville, MD: Department of Health and Human Services, 1998.
Of the 306 children 0-14 years old who were killed in alcohol-related crashes during 2006, half (153) of those killed were passengers in vehicles with drivers who had been drinking.
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[References]National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2006: Alcohol Impaired Driving.” DOT 810 801. Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2008. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/810801.PDF
Underage drinkers are susceptible to immediate consequences of alcohol use, including blackouts, hangovers, and alcohol poisoning and are at elevated risk of neurodegeneration (particularly in regions of the brain responsible for learning and memory), impairments in functional brain activity, and the appearance of neurocognitive defects. Heavy episodic or binge drinking impairs study hairs and erodes the development of transitional skills to adulthood.
[ref.]
[References]Zeigler, Donald, et al. “The Neurocognitive Effects of Alcohol on Adolescents and College Students.” Preventive Medicine 40 (2004): 23-32.