Underage use of alcohol is a primary risk factor for developing addiction. Ninety percent of adults struggling with addiction began using alcohol or some other addictive substance before age 18.
It’s never too early to talk with kids about alcohol and take a stand on underage drinking.
Click here for the 2026 Underage Drinking Social Media Plan
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used substances in the United States. According to data from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 30 million people ages 12 and over have alcohol use disorder.
Although adolescents tend to drink alcohol less often than adults, they tend to drink more when they do drink. Approximately 8.6% percent of people ages 12 to 20—or 3.3 million—reported binge drinking in the past month.
Talk to your teens about alcohol and its effects — all of them. Make sure they have the facts.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Prevention Consultants of Missouri 