HHS HealthBeat (July 20, 2007)

Summer drinking time

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

For kids, July is the peak time for that first drink. Acting Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu says about one third of underage drinking starts in the summer. And 13 percent of underage drinking starts in July.

So Dr. Moritsugu and HHS’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration are helping parents, with a campaign called, ‘’Start Talking before They Start Drinking.’’

Moritsugu alsosays forming attitudes in kids could require changing attitudes in adults:

``As a nation, we have become a little bit complacent. We say, well, it’s just a rite of passage, or that Johnnie or Janey will outgrow it.’’  (7 seconds)

Alcohol can damage the developing brain. And those who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to have problems with alcohol later in life than those who start at age 21.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

Last revised: July, 19 2007