NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM’S UNDERAGE DRINKING RESEARCH INITIATIVE

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has launched the Underage Drinking Research Initiative. This initiative is an undertaking born of the convergence of recent scientific advances and the increased public concern about the seriousness of this longstanding societal problem. The NIAAA reports that underage drinking presents an enormous public health issue. Annually, about 5,000 youth under age 21 die from motor vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, and homicides and suicides that involve underage drinking.

As an integral tool in NIAAA’s efforts to enhance the scientific understanding of underage drinking, the website set up for the initiative is designed to provide information on important new research on underage drinking, the most current national statistics, links to other federal government underage drinking prevention resources, and updates on the new Steering Committee for the initiative. For more information visit: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/AboutNIAAA/NIAAASponsoredPrograms/underage.htm