Facts about underage drinking

Too many Minnesota teens are drinking

The 2004 Minnesota Student Survey found that 63% of high school seniors and 40% of 9th graders drank alcohol in the past year.
More than one-third of 12th grade boys and one-quarter of 12th grade girls report binge drinking (five or more drinks in a row) in the two weeks before the survey.
The average American child tries alcohol before the age of 13. Youth who drink before they turn 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who start drinking at 21.
Underage drinkers consume 19.7% of all alcohol consumed in the United States.

Alcohol use by underage drinkers is a major public health and public safety problem in the United States. Alcohol is a key factor in the four leading causes of death among young people in America: traffic crashes, homicides, injuries, and suicides.
Alcohol affects adolescents differently than adults. Exposing the developing brain to alcohol may have long-lasting effects and increase the chance of addiction.
The earlier children drink, the more likely they are to have alcohol-related problems. Younger drinkers are more likely to be the victims or perpetrators of violence, to drive drunk or ride with a drinking driver, to drop out of school, or to have unplanned and/or unprotected sex.
Underage drinking impacts the U.S. and Minnesota economy. The consequences of underage drinking are estimated to cost our nation more than $58 billion per year and the citizens of Minnesota $1.0 billion in 2001.