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Surgeon General Says Underage Drinking an American Epidemic

Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu called on the American people, Tuesday, to wake up and tend to the wide-spread problem of under aged drinking. The Surgeon General published a report aimed at getting all members of American society involved in solving this major health concern. According to Moritsugu, alcohol is the drug of choice for US teens.

The 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that 11 million under-aged Americans drink alcohol, with nearly 7.2 million of them considered binge drinkers, meaning they drink more than five drinks on occasion. "Alcohol remains the most heavily abused substance by America`s youth," Moritsugu said, hoping the report causes "change in the culture and attitudes toward drinking in America. We can no longer ignore what alcohol is doing to our children."

Moritsugu called for more research on adolescent alcohol use to be conducted, especially into its relationship to physical and mental development. He cited new research that indicates alcohol may harm the brain development in adolescents. Recent surveys into substance abuse among US teens, has shown a significant decline in tobacco and illicit drug, on the other hand, underage drinking has remained at consistently high levels. Moritsugu says that this is partly due to adult tolerance to the phenomena. "Too many Americans consider underage drinking a rite of passage to adulthood," Moritsugu said. "Research shows that young people who start drinking before the age of 15 are five times more likely to have alcohol-related problems later in life."