New!!! Grade-specific information about alcohol use is available at: www.AskHYS.net
For a two-sided, easy to use hand-out about youth alcohol use in Washington State, go to:
2006 Healthy Youth Survey Results
“Shoulder Tap” study shows young men likely to buy beer for minors
Research on the “shoulder tap” practice in which youths approach an adult outside an alcohol establishment and ask the adult to purchase alcohol for them found that:
- 8 percent of the general adult population were willing to purchase alcohol for youths who appear under 21, and
- 19 percent of young males were willing to purchase alcohol for underage youth.
The authors also provide recommendations for addressing the problem. The study appears in the July Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (Vol. 31(7), pp. 1218-1223).
Other research and resources for reducing underage drinking:
- Adults are most common source of alcohol for teens, according to poll of teens 13-18: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/15414.html
- Parents Underestimate Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use by Youth http://pridesurveys.com
- Environmental and Contextual Considerations: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh283/155-162.htm
- Community and policy interventions:
University of Minnesota Epidemiology Program: http://www.epi.umn.edu/alcohol/
San Diego Policy Panel on Youth Access: http://www.alcoholpolicypanel.org/
- Resources and reports from federal agencies:
http://www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/
http://oas.samhsa.gov/underage.htm
http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/
http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol
- Ad Council’s Start Talking campaign materials: http://www.adcouncil.org/default.aspx?id=263
- Alcopops: Most of these sweet-flavored drinks have a higher alcohol content than regular beer and wine, yet many teens believe the opposite. Research shows that 10% of young people now drink alcopops on a regular basis.
http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/files/20030818_151600_alcopops%20factsheet.pdf
http://www.rileyhospital.org/attachments/alcopops%202.pdf
- Free online book: Reducing Underage Drinking – A Collective Responsibility
http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10729.html
- The Marin Institute: http://www.marininstitute.org/
- Focus Adolescent Services: http://www.focusas.com/Alcohol.htm
