FACT OR FICTION

Myths & Misinformation about Alcohol Use by Children & Adolescents

TRUE or FALSE? Since European children drink alcohol from very early ages, they don't view alcohol as "forbidden fruit" and drink in moderation, responsibly and appropriately.

FALSE
This misconception is a long-held belief that has been proven false. Find out more by reading "Youth Drinking Rates and Problems: A Comparison of European Countries and the United States" prepared by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in support of the OJJDP Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Program.
This report compares the 2003 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) to the 2003 United States Monitoring the Future Survey findings. This comparison showed:

• A greater percentage of young people from almost all European countries reported drinking in the past 30 days than U.S. youth.
• In a majority of European countries, a greater percentage of young people report having 5 or more drinks in a row compared to 10th graders in the U.S.
• A great majority of European countries reported higher rates of self-reported intoxication among young people than in the U.S.