Teens and Alcohol: What Don't You Know?

Feeling good is the top reason. Contrary to what most parents think, it's not peer pressure, which is number three on the list. Here's how teens' responses stacked up:

Seventy-nine percent said they drink because it feels good.
Sixty-seven percent said they drink because it helps them forget their problems.
Sixty-six percent said they do it because others do it.
Forty-seven percent said they do it because there's nothing else to do.

Forgetting problems isn't the top reason, but two-thirds of the teens who drink cited this as a reason. Here's how teens' responses stacked up:

Seventy-nine percent said they drink because it feels good.
Sixty-seven percent said they drink because it helps them forget their problems.
Sixty-six percent said they do it because others do it.
Forty-seven percent said they do it because there's nothing else to do.

Contrary to what most parents think, it's not peer pressure. Here's how teens' responses stacked up:

Seventy-nine percent said they drink because it feels good.
Sixty-seven percent said they drink because it helps them forget their problems.
Sixty-six percent said they do it because others do it.
Forty-seven percent said they do it because there's nothing else to do.

Boredom isn't the top reason, but more than half of the teens who drink cited boredom as a reason. Here's how teens' responses stacked up:

Seventy-nine percent said they drink because it feels good.
Sixty-seven percent said they drink because it helps them forget their problems.
Sixty-six percent said they do it because others do it.
Forty-seven percent said they do it because there's nothing else to do.

That's right. Two-thirds -- 66 percent -- of teens who drink say they can buy their own alcohol.

Not quite. Two-thirds -- 66 percent -- of teens who drink say they can buy their own alcohol.

Much more: two-thirds -- 66 percent -- of teens who drink say they can buy their own alcohol.

Even more! Two-thirds -- 66 percent -- of teens who drink say they can buy their own alcohol.

It's not taste, but death, that teens don't know about. There are 2.6 million teens who don't know you can die from an overdose of too much alcohol. Do you know one them?

Absolutely. There are 2.6 million teens who don't know you can die from an overdose of too much alcohol. Do you know one of them?

You might fake an ID, but you can't fake death. There are 2.6 million teens who don't know you can die from an overdose of too much alcohol. Do you know one them?

Whether beer or wine, there are 2.6 million teens who don't know you can die from an overdose of too much alcohol. Do you know one them?

Exactly the opposite. Up to 56 percent of students in grades 5 through 12 said that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.

This will surprise you. More than half -- 56 percent -- of students in grades 5 through 12 said that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.

It's the stark truth. More than half -- 56 percent -- of students in grades 5 through 12 said that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.

Nope. More than half -- 56 percent -- of students in grades 5 through 12 said that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.

That's right. The study showed that the ninth-graders who used alcohol and/or drugs were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.

Surprisingly, it's sex. The study showed that the ninth-graders who used alcohol and/or drugs were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.

Surprisingly, it's sex. The study showed that the ninth-graders who used alcohol and/or drugs were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.

It's not academic. The study showed that the ninth-graders who used alcohol and/or drugs were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.