National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

About the Underage Drinking Research Initiative The Underage Drinking Research Initiative (UDRI) is a key program of NIAAA. The goal of this initiative is to better understand the factors that compel youth to begin drinking, continue drinking, and progress to harmful use, abuse, and dependence. We seek to understand and address underage drinking within the context of overall development, and...

In a special supplement to Pediatrics, edited and sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), physicians will have access in one place to the reviews and analyses of current research on biological, behavioral, and environmental changes during childhood and adolescence that foster the initiation, maintenance, and acceleration of illegal use of alcohol by underage youth. This...

A new Web site and booklet from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) could help many people reduce their risk for alcohol problems. Called Rethinking Drinking, the new materials present evidence-based information about risky drinking patterns, the alcohol content of drinks, and the signs of an alcohol problem, along with information about medications and other resources to...

Alcohol misuse: Drinking in a manner, situation, amount, or frequency that could cause harm to the person who drinks or to those around them. For individuals younger than the U.S. Minimum Legal Drinking Age of 21, or for pregnant females, any alcohol use constitutes alcohol misuse. Alcohol use disorder (AUD): AUD is a chronic, relapsing brain disorder characterized by an...

Nearly 32 million adults in the United States (13 percent of the U.S. population aged 18 and older) consumed more than twice the number of drinks considered binge drinking on at least one occasion, according to a 2013 survey that asked about past-year drinking. This higher level of drinking is associated with increased health and safety risks. A report of...

TRENDS IN UNDERAGE DRINKING IN THE UNITED STATES, 1991–2019 Chiung M. Chen, M.A. Young-Hee Yoon, Ph.D. CSR, Incorporated 1 Suite 220 22375 Broderick Drive Sterling, VA 20166 March 2021 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service National Institutes of Health 1 CSR, Incorporated, operates the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System (AEDS) under Contract No. HHSN275201800004C for the National...

The football playoffs are here and the Big Game is one of the biggest sporting events in the United States. This is the day that many people will get together with family and friends to root for their team.

As adolescents mature, they undergo complex developmental changes, especially in their brains. The widespread changes in the organization and functioning of the brain—which continue into a person’s mid-20s—bring about the cognitive, emotional, and social skills necessary for adolescents to survive and thrive. The nature of these rapid changes may also increase the adolescent brain’s vulnerability to alcohol exposure. Patterns of...

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Because drinking alcohol is a large part of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities for many people, this is a good time to be mindful of how alcohol can impact your celebrations and your health.

January 2, 2014

Read our Twitter Chat, “Alcohol & the Holidays: What You Need to Know,” transcript here: http://sfy.co/pKyy . The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) co-hosted the December 12 event.

An alcohol overdose occurs when there is so much alcohol in the bloodstream that areas of the brain controlling basic life-support functions—such as breathing, heart rate, and temperature control—begin to shut down. Symptoms of alcohol overdose include mental confusion, difficulty remaining conscious, vomiting, seizure, trouble breathing, slow heart rate, clammy skin, dulled responses such as no gag reflex (which prevents choking), and extremely low body temperature. Alcohol overdose can lead to permanent brain damage or death.

November 10, 2021

November is Native American Heritage Month. In a recent guest blog for the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities’ NIMHD Insights , George F. Koob, Ph.D., Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), discussed NIAAA-supported research demonstrating the importance of community-based interventions in preventing underage drinking among American Indian and Alaska Native youth. Supporting...

For some people, summer activities involve drinking alcoholic beverages, so play it safe during the summer and be mindful of your alcohol consumption

Prevalence of Lifetime Drinking People Ages 12 and Older According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 221.3 million people ages 12 and older (78.5% in this age group) reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime. 1,2 This includes: 110.2 million males ages 12 and older (79.7% in this age group) 1,2...

Mon, 07/04/2011 - 12:00

Mon, 07/04/2011 - 12:00

Underage alcohol use is a pervasive and persistent problem in the United States and many other countries, with serious health and safety consequences, often resulting from binge drinking. Given the significant amount of alcohol advertising to which young people are exposed in virtually all types of media, scientists have sought to learn whether and how such advertising influences underage drinking...