The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH) has found that by age 15 nearly 1/3 of all teens in the United States have had at least 1 drink. By age 18, that increases to nearly 2/3. Alcohol is more commonly abused by adolescents than cigarettes and marijuana according to the 2015 study. By 8th grade, 7.3 percent of the teenagers surveyed admitted to using alcohol while only 2.6 had used cigarettes.
While statistics show that both boys and girls consume alcohol about the same, boys are more likely to binge drink in later adolescence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that alcohol will play a factor in over 4000 deaths each year for those under 21 years old.
Alcohol abuse in teenagers and adults increases the likelihood of getting injured whether by a fall or poor decision from impaired judgment. Tragically, alcohol also increases the chances of someone under the age of 21 being physically or sexually assaulted.
Underage drinking is a rampant problem throughout the United States. Children who admit to drinking report that they had easy access to the alcohol.
Parents can play a huge role in deterring alcohol use in youth. By talking about alcohol abuse and the dangers of alcohol and encouraging adolescents to make good choices, and by role-modeling healthy alcohol decisions, parents can be a determining factor in whether a person abuses alcohol underage.