Teens Obtain Alcohol from Parents

June 2008

For many teens, adults contribute to underage drinking. A government survey has found that of the 10.8 million underage drinkers in the United States, 40 percent obtained free alcohol from an adult in the past month.

The survey was conducted from 2002 to 2006 and reported that more than half of American teenagers have engaged in underage drinking. Six percent reported that they got the alcohol from an adult family member, like a parent, and four percent said they took the alcohol directly from their own homes.

Approximately one out of five of those between the ages of 12 and 20 said they took part in binge drinking, consuming five or more drinks on at least one occasion, in the past month. If the teen lived with a parent who took part in binge drinking, the rate of occurrence was much higher. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning, which impacts the central nervous system, in certain cases causing choking, coma, or death.