Daily HealthBeat Tip - March 07, 2007

A Call to Action on underage drinking

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

About 11 million young people are underage drinkers. And that's not just illegal, it's dangerous. Alcohol reduces coordination and response time – think drunken driving. It impairs judgment – think risk-taking. And underage drinkers are more likely to have problems with alcohol when they become adults.

Acting Surgeon General Dr. Kenneth Moritsugu says underage drinking should have no place in American life. He's issuing his office's first Call to Action against underage drinking.

"We can no longer ignore what alcohol is doing to our children. Underage drinking is everybody's problem. And its solution is everyone's responsibility." (10 seconds)

Parents, for instance, can make sure kids know the family rule on drinking. Kids can support each other, and stand up to peer pressure to drink.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: March, 09 2007