Teens and Alcohol: What Don't You Know?

2. Teens tell us that they drink primarily because:

• It feels good.
  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.
  

• It helps me forget my problems.
  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.
  

• I feel pressured from friends.
  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.
  

• I'm bored and 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.
  

3. How many teen drinkers can buy their own alcohol?

• Sixty-six percent.
  That's right. Two-thirds -- 66 percent -- of teens who drink say they can buy their own alcohol.
• Ninety-five percent.
  Not quite. Two-thirds -- 66 percent -- of teens who drink say they can buy their own alcohol.
• Twenty-five percent.
  Much more: two-thirds -- 66 percent -- of teens who drink say they can buy their own alcohol.
• Fifty percent.
  Even more! Two-thirds -- 66 percent -- of teens who drink say they can buy their own alcohol.

4. Roughly two-and-a-half million teenagers don't know:

• What beer tastes like.
  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?
• That you can die from an alcohol overdose.
  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?
• That you can buy alcohol with a fake ID.
  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?
• That wine has a stronger alcohol content than beer.
  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?

5. Most students in grades 5 through 12 say that alcohol advertising:

• Has no effect on their drinking.
  Exactly the opposite. Up to 56 percent of students in grades 5 through 12 said that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.
• Can be funny and entertaining, but they know drinking is bad for you.
  This will surprise you. More than half -- 56 percent -- of students in grades 5 through 12 said that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.
• 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.
• Is good for sports teams but not for kids.
  Nope. More than half -- 56 percent -- of students in grades 5 through 12 said that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.

6. A study of ninth-grade students in four urban high schools showed that alcohol and drug use was the best predictor for:

• Risky sexual behavior.
  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.
• Later alcoholism.
  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.
• Dropping out of school.
  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.
• Academic achievement.
  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.