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AMA - Youth and Alcohol: Key Facts and Prevention Ideas <br />x <br />� ,� � <br />' x ♦ <br />«. <br />; ... �;.o � K� T �� <br />i �,�' S . <br />��� x>��X' ,(' . <br />. y� "�.' w r ` <br />� <br /><.:,�,� .6, ,h�R .,�: <br />�" '�. :'7 <br />.. . �:'ti S.� S,�,i'..!°".'`/; <br />,w« <br />• �. • • • .�` �L ���i� �. <br />... _ �. .. �.... � . �. ., �. . � ,. . .., f� �` a <br />F'h�sici�a� dedic�ta� tc� �� t�e�ltk� vf r'�r�i�� �t���, 1; <br />� `� ��*� <br />Youth, Young Adults, and Alcohol: <br />Key Facts and Prevention Strategies <br />Underage Use of Alcohol <br />The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services <br />Adminisb^ation (SAMHSA) defines current use of alcohol as at <br />least one drink in the past month; binge use as five or more <br />drinks on the same occasion at least once in the past month; and <br />heavy use as five or more drinks on the same occasion on at <br />least five different days in the past month (SAMHSA, July 1997). <br />. According to the most recent National Household Survey <br />on Drug Abuse, about 9.5 million (or 9% o� current <br />drinkers were under age 2 1 in 1996. Of this under-2 1 <br />group, 4.4 million were binge drinkers, including 1.9 <br />million heavy drinkers (SAMHSA, July 1997). <br />. The average age when 12 to 17 year olds say they first <br />tried alcohol is 12.8 (SAlV�ISA, March 1997). <br />', '- ., ; : �. ' . ��ool <br />and its use appears to be increasing along with the <br />use o tobacco and marijuana. In 1998, 52% of high <br />school seniors consumed any alcohol in the last 30 days, <br />compared to 26% who used any illicit drug in the last 30 <br />days (Johnston et al, in preparation). <br />Although it is illegal for virtually all secondary students <br />to purchase alcoholic beverages, 8 1% of twelfth graders <br />have tried them at least once, along with 70% of tenth <br />graders and 53% of eighth graders. In comparison, 65% of <br />twelfth graders have ever smoked cigarettes, 49% have <br />ever used mariZuana, and 9% have ever used cocaine <br />(Johnston et al,1996a). <br />Approximately 88% of l Oth graders and 75% of &th <br />graders report that it's very easy or fairly easy to get <br />alcohol (Johnston et al, in preparation). <br />. Of the estimated 5.4 million junior and high school <br />students who have ever consumed five or more drinks in a <br />row, 39% say they drink alone; 58% drink when they are <br />upset; 30% drink when they are bored; and 37% drink to <br />feel high (OIG, 199 1). <br />Page 1 of 12 <br />httr://www.ama-assn.�rglspeciaUaoslalcoholl/reseazch/ythfcts.htm 10/26/99 <br />