Drinking by youth under the legal drinking age is a matter of public health concern internationally. Every year in the United States alone, about 5,000 youth under age 21 die from motor vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, and homicides and suicides that involve underage drinking.i Heavy episodic (or “binge”) drinking patterns of certain underage youth are of particular concern and have been the focus of greater attention in recent years. (For more on related topics, see The Issues Forum entries addressing Drunk Driving and Binge Drinking.)
In addition, it is generally accepted that underage youth are at increased risk for certain harmful drinking behaviors and negative consequences. As summarized by the executive committee issuing a National Academy of Sciences report on underage drinking:
Alcohol use by young people is dangerous, not only because of the risks associated with acute impairment, but also because of the threat to their long-term development and well being. Traffic crashes are perhaps the most visible of these dangers, with alcohol being implicated in nearly one-third of youth traffic fatalities. Underage alcohol use is also associated with violence, suicide, educational failure, and other problem behaviors.ii
Emerging research on the potential negative effects of alcohol on the growth and development of adolescent brains is also cause for concern. There is also research which illuminates the key role of genetics in how alcohol affects brain function, and why the effects may be more severe in some individuals than others.iii In addition, research shows that children who begin to consume alcohol before age 15 are five times more likely to have alcohol-related problems than those who started drinking after age 21.