America's Youth Delaying First Consumption Of Alcohol

Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Article Date: 30 Jun 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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The latest research released by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a positive indicator that The Century Council's continuing efforts are working. For nearly twenty years, The Century Council, a national not-for-profit funded by distillers, has developed and implemented proven and effective programs and public awareness campaigns to fight underage drinking.

According to the newly released report Underage Alcohol Use: Findings from the 2002-2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, lifetime alcohol consumption rates among 12 to 20 years olds have shown a statistically significant decrease of 4% from 56.2% in 2002 to 53.9% in 2006. Additionally, past year consumption rates declined significantly among 12-14 year olds and 15-17 year olds (8% and 7%, respectively) from 2002 to 2006; past year alcohol consumption among 18 to 20 year olds remained relatively unchanged during this time period.

"The SAMHSA research is a clear sign that our collective efforts are working. The significant decrease in lifetime alcohol consumption indicates that America's youth are delaying the consumption of their first alcoholic beverage. While encouraged by the progress, there is still work to be done to keep our nation's young people safe. We will continue our efforts to make sure the consumption rates continue to decline," said The Honorable Susan Molinari, Chairman of The Century Council.

The Century Council commissioned a research study in 2003 which identified family and friends as the leading source of alcohol for underage drinkers - 65% of youth who consumed alcohol in the past year reported family and friends were the leading source from which they got the alcohol they consumed. The new data from SAMHSA suggests only about 28% of underage drinkers cite family and friends as their source of the last alcohol they consumed - a significant decrease in the role of family and friends over the past few years. While the SAMHSA study highlights much progress has been made our work remains unfinished.

The Century Council continues to be actively engaged in stopping youth access to alcohol through a variety of initiatives including our "65% Campaign" called Are You Doing Your Part?, and We Don't Serve Teens. These initiatives have distributed millions of materials to retailers and parents, and have reached countless more through public service announcements and earned media. Other ongoing education initiatives include Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix, a program in partnership with Nickelodeon, and Girl Talk; Choices and Consequences of Underage Drinking, an initiative most recently launched at two-time Olympian Julie Foudy's Sports Leadership Academy, and Parents, You're Not Done Yet, a program that encourages parents of incoming college freshman to continue to discuss underage drinking after they leave for school.

About The Century Council

The Century Council is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking and is funded by distillers including Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; Brown-Forman; Constellation Brands, Inc.; DIAGEO; Future Brands LLC; Hood River Distillers, Inc.; and Sidney Frank Importing Co. Inc. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia and chaired by Susan Molinari, The Century Council is a leader in the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and promotes responsible decision making regarding beverage alcohol. The Century Council develops and implements innovative programs and public awareness campaigns and promotes action through strategic partnerships. Established in 1991, The Century Council's initiatives are highlighted on its website at http://www.centurycouncil.org.

The Century Council