Underage drinking is widespread in the United States. Approximately 12.5 million underage youth drink each year. In 2005, according to self-reports by U.S. students in grades 9-12:

• 74% had at least one drink of alcohol on one or more days during their life.
• 26% had their first drink of alcohol, other than a few sips, before age 13.
• 43% had at least one drink of alcohol on one or more occasions in the past 30 days.
• 26% had five or more drinks of alcohol in a row (i.e., binge drinking) in the past 30 days.
• 4% had at least one drink of alcohol on school property on one or more of the past 30 days.

For more information on underage drinking, see the article “Don’t Miss the 10th Annual EUDL Conference” in this issue and visit the Web site of the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center (UDETC). UDETC was established by OJJDP to support its EUDL program.