Do you ever think that "all the kids" drink alcohol? Sometimes it may seem that way, if the people around you are talking about getting drunk. But the fact is that most young teens do not drink alcohol. Only one out of five eighth graders has had alcohol in the past month. That’s hardly “all the kids.”

FACT » Four out of Five 8th Graders do not drink alcohol.

So, why does it seem like “everyone” drinks alcohol? Part of the reason is advertising. Alcohol companies spend about one billion dollars a year advertising their products. If they can make you think that “everyone” drinks their product, they hope they can get you to drink it too. Don’t take the bait.

Alcohol is a serious drug. Over 115,000 people die of alcohol-related diseases and accidents every year. Hundreds of thousands of people are injured because of alcohol.
Even if alcohol does not kill you, it can wreck your life in a million other ways. When people drink alcohol, they often do things they usually would not do. They might say things they’ll really regret later. Plus:

• Alcohol makes people think more slowly.
  
• Preteens and teens who drink are more likely to get into fights.
  
• Drinkers are more likely to be victims of violence (including robbery and rape).
  
• Teens who drink do worse in school than those who don’t drink.

Almost as bad are the tons of different ways that alcohol can make you make a fool of yourself – throwing up, showing off, falling down, and saying and doing embarrassing things you would never do sober.
Surf through this site and learn more about alcohol’s effects on users.