NCJ Number
235742
Date Published
May 2011
Length
457 pages
Annotation
This report to the U.S. Congress from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services summarizes the status of the latest scientific research regarding adolescent alcohol use.
Abstract
Major findings from this report include: according to the 2009 Monitoring the Future study, 30.4 percent of 10th graders reported using alcohol in the past 30 days, while 15.9 percent reported using marijuana and 13.1 percent reported using cigarettes during the same time period; binge drinking was reported to be the most common underage consumption pattern with 18.1 percent of youth aged 12 to 20 years old reporting binge drinking within the past month; compared to 1975 rates, adolescent females are exhibiting rates of drinking, binge drinking, and getting drunk similar to rates for male adolescents; the beverage preferences of adolescents has changed with distilled spirits becoming more popular and challenging beer as the beverage most likely to be consumed by underage drinkers; and White youth aged 12 to 20 years old are more likely than any other racial or ethnic group to report current alcohol use and binge drinking. This report to the U.S. Congress summarizes the status of the latest scientific research regarding adolescent alcohol use. Additional information provided in this report includes descriptions of the characteristics and consequences of underage drinking such as increased involvement in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, the increased likelihood of risky sexual behavior, increased risk of alcohol dependence later in life, and the negative effect on academic performance. The report also outlines the comprehensive efforts of the Federal Government to address the problem of underage drinking as well as policies and activities developed in each State to deal with this problem. Figures, tables, and appendixes