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Parents are the most critical "anti-drug" in preventing underage drinking. Survey after survey reports the large majority of middle and high school age teens declare the attitude of their parents about underage drinking is the single most important factor in their decision whether or not to drink. Talk to your children early and often - your voice makes a difference. Cost of underage drinking in North Carolina In 2010, underage drinking cost North Carolina more than $1.5 billion to offset alcohol-related teen health care, crime and other costs. Read more. Cost of underage drinking to the nation In 2010, underage drinking costs to the nation are conservatively estimated to be in excess of $62 billion annually. Read more.

News You Can Use

A Message for Parents with College-Bound Teens
Excessive collegiate drinking has been an unresolved 'time-bomb' on many of the nation's campuses. Research finds drinking freshmen now spend more time each week drinking than studying. With collegiate alcohol-related death and poisonings at record levels, parents must be more diligent in preparing their child for the unneccessary threats to collegiate success. Real life is not about drinking alcohol, nor should their college life be defined by excessive use of this addictive drug. Read more.

"Cool mom" Imprisoned for 'hosting' teen drinking party in her home
Massachusetts woman hosts teen drinking party for her 16-year old daughter. Though police were called to the scene twice in response to neighbor complaints, adult host made no effort to control party or underage drinking. One teen required emergency transport for alcohol poisoning. Prosecutor says, "The idea that a person would allow somebody else's child to consume alcohol - we see that as an egregious act." Read more.

Letter to the Editor: Parents, Don't Provide Your Teen with Alcohol
Though unlawful to do so in North Carolina and most other States, some parents continue to provide alcohol to their children. While many believe they are teaching responsible drinking, research confirms the effect to be the opposite - they actually increase the likelihood their child will become an excessive drinker. Read more.

Parents arrested after adult-sponsored teen alcohol party gets out of hand
"Be a parent, not a child's best friend," experts say. Parents charged after teen drinking party they allegedly sponsored got out of hand. Neighbors complained to police of wild booze fest. Two 16-year olds taken to local hospital for alcohol treatment. Read more.

Teens who watch TV alcohol ads are more likely to drink
A study presented at a recent annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Society reports that teens who watch TV alcohol ads are more likely to drink. Earlier studies have found that TV ads do influence teens and 'tweens' to use alcohol, while other studies find the marketing saavy alcohol industry actually increases advertising during periods of higher teen viewership. Read more.

4 out of 5 young people in juvenile justice system commit crimes while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs
Long recognizing the significant influence of alcohol in the adult commission of criminal acts or other misbehaviors, the negative influence of alcohol on less experienced drinking teens is no less troubling. Alcohol is the teen drug of choice. Read more.

Americans turn in 276 tons of unwanted or expired prescription drugs
With prescriptive drug abuse among teens and adults reaching critical dimensions, DEA announced that Americans turned in 276 tons of unwanted or expired prescription drugs during the fourth annual National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Research finds teens often misappropriate prescription drugs from the medicine cabinets of family or friends. To protect teens from harms they cannot begin to understand, adults must "Talk it up/Lock it up." Read more.

Most states don't address youth exposure to alcohol marketing
The alcohol industry spends an estimated $6 billion annually to advertise and promote consumption of its products. Some specifically target advertising to times of higher teen viewership. Though research consistently finds that underage youths are influenced to drink alcohol by alcohol industry marketing, only 11 states have adopted strategies to reduce exposure Johns Hopkins University study finds. Read more.

Massachusetts community targets parents who provide alcohol to teens
Citing as a "demonstrably false assumption" parental notions that 'kids are going to drink anyway and they're safer drinking here,' communities are taking aggessive criminal enforcement action against parents and other of-legal-drinking age adults who provide alcohol to teens. Alcohol, an addictive drug, kills more teens than all other drugs combined. State Bar Association president says "These kids rapidly consume huge quantities of alcohol at these parties because their goal is to get hammered. Read more.

Tips to protect adolescents from online alcohol and other drug threats
Online media promote alcohol and drug use, though many adults are unaware of the prevalence of pro-drug use propaganda and misinformation available to adolescents on the internet. The Treatment Research Institute has developed a training program for parents, which includes recommendations to help parents defend their children from these threats. Read more.

Teens end up in emergency room after drinking hand sanitizer.
The latest cause for concern about the lengths to which children will go to use and abuse alcohol - hand sanitizer. Containing 62% ethyl alcohol, Cyrus Rangan, Director of the Toxics Epidemiology Program at the Lost Angeles County Department of Health, said, "There is no question that it is dangerous. All it takes is just a few swallows and you have a drunk teenager." Read More.

Young people's health is not keeping pace.
USA Today
April 25, 2012
Though world health has improved significantly for infants and children, study reports the same is not true for adolescents and young adults. Most conditions are entirely preventable, and it is likely alcohol is a contributing factor. Alcohol kills more teens than all other drugs combined, and is closely associated with teen suicide, homicide, car crashes, and pregnancy-related causes. Read more.

New data shows quarter of teens get alcohol from parent, guardian or adult family member
Sacramento Bee
April 17, 2012
While 26 percent of teens acknowledge that a parent, guardian or adult family member provides them with alcohol, 75 percent of teens say that parents can provide something far more valuable. These teens say that parents are the most influential people in their decision to drink alcohol. Read more.

Teen girls with family history of breast cancer should avoid alcohol use, study concludes
With the troubling rise in excessive drinking among young girls, studies report the increased health risks associated with female alcohol consumption. Though alcohol, a carcinogen, is already linked to breast cancer, new study finds that young females with family history of breast cancer should avoid alcohol use. Read more.

Adolescents living with a parent who drives under the influence of alcohol are at increased risk of driving under the influence themselves
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
December 6, 2011
In another reminder of the influence that adult drinking and modeled behaviors have upon their children, study finds that children who live with a parent who drives a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol are at an increased risk of doing so themselves. Read more.

Underage female drinkers now as likely to die in alcohol-related car crashes as male peers
Health Day
April 9, 2012
In another sign of the enormous societal shift in excessive female drinking, study now finds that underage female drinkers are as likely to die in an alcohol-related car crash as their male peers. With girls ages 12 to 17-years old now out-consuming same age males, some researchers describe the rise is excessive female drinking as a profound societal shift. Read more.

Stop tempting 'foolish' youth into mistakes
Deseret News
March 21, 2012
Alice Longworth, daughter of chronically youthful President Theodore Roosevelt and therefore perhaps an expert, once said, "The secret of eternal youth is arrested development." Read more.

"Tweens" at critical time for smoking/drinking
PsychCentral
March 16, 2012
Children between the ages of 10 to 12 are ambivalent toward smoking/drinking, study suggests. Read more.

Average age of drinking onset for youths entering addiction treatment now below age 13.
The Partnership at Drugfree.org
March 16, 2012
While experimenting with drugs and alcohol was once considered a rite of passage into early adulthood, the average age of onset of alcohol or substance use of adolescents entering addiction treatment is now below the age of 13 .... 31.5% of adolescent admissions first used their primary substance at age 11 or younger. Read more.

Many products luring too many teens into addiction
Chapel Hill Herald
For the record, it's acknowledged the alcohol industry, like the tobacco industry before it, disputes any assertion it targets teen drinkers with advertising or promotion. Teens account for 20 percent of alcohol sales. Read more.

Alcohol dangers should be taken as gravely as tobacco's
Chapel Hill Herald
Like tobacco before it, for too long we didn't know what we didn't know about the harmful physical effects of alcohol, but then we learned. Read more.

What alcohol is doing to our kids
Chapel Hill News
February 19, 2012
We can't say we weren't warned. Read more.

The Underage Drinking Epidemic

Parade Magazine

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Teens are finding new—and more dangerous—ways to binge. Here's what you can do. More...

Teens & Alcohol
Carolina Parent Magazine
March 2011
Dangerous mix has long-term consequences. Read more....

"With Drinking, Parent's Rules Do Affect Teens' Choices"
by MICHELLE TRUDEAU, NPR NEWS
May 31, 2010 3:00 pm
As teenagers mature into their senior year of high school, many parents begin to feel more comfortable about letting them drink alcohol. But new research from brain scientists and parenting experts suggests loosening the reins on drinking may not be a good idea in the long run. Read full article...

"BYU Study Finds Indulgent Parents May Aid Binge Drinking "
By SARA ISRAELSEN-HARTLEY, DESERT NEWS
June 24, 2010
You can't just love your kids away from alcohol. In fact, teens who viewed their parents as warm and affectionate, but lax in their monitoring, were three times more likely to engage in heavy drinking than their loved and supervised peers, according to a new BYU study. Read full article...

Mission

The Coalition is an alliance of organizations, individuals and other stakeholders who work collaboratively to prevent underage drinking and teen drug use by advancing education, strategic enforcement and effective policies and initiatives.

Did You Know?


	Alcohol, an addictive drug, is the most commonly used and abused drug among U.S. youth. The teen "drug of choice," it kills more teens than all other drugs combined. (Centers for Disease Control)


	The brain goes through dynamic change during adolescence [ages 12-21] and alcohol can seriously damage long- and short-term growth processes. (American Medical Association)


	28% of Chapel Hill-Carrboro youth report they take alcohol from home without their parent's knowledge. (2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey)