11 Facts About Teens And Alcohol

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3. In 2012, nearly three-quarters of students (72 percent) have consumed alcohol (more than just a few sips) by the end of high school, and more than a third (37 percent) have done so by eighth grade.
    
4. According to a study by Columbia University, underage drinkers account for 11.4 percent of all of the alcohol consumed in the U.S.
    
5. The average age teen boys first try alcohol is age 11, for teen girls it’s 13.
    
6. Nearly 10 million young people, ages 12 to 20, reported that they’ve consumed alcohol in the past 30 days.
    
7. Teens who start drinking before age 15 years are five times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or after the legal age of 21.
    
8. In 2010, there were approximately 189,000 emergency rooms visits by teens under age 21 for injuries and other conditions linked to alcohol.
    
9. Teens who drink heavily are three times more likely to try and hurt themselves (self-harm, attempt suicide etc.) than those who don't.
    
10. 9 out of 10 American teens report that drinking is not worth the consequences it can cause.
     
11. The three leading causes of death for 15 to 24-year-olds are automobile crashes, homicides and suicides – alcohol is a leading factor in all three.
     
12. In 2010, 56 percent of drivers aged 15 to 20 who were killed in motor vehicle crashes after drinking and driving were not wearing a seat belt.
     
13. The rate of current alcohol consumption increases with age, according to the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, from 2 percent at age 12 to 21 percent at age 16, and 55 percent at age 20.

Create a designated driver program at your school. GO

Sources: CDC, The Century Council, SADD, National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse