Underage Drinking
Alcohol is the most abused drug by youth, and is associated with the leading causes of death for teens and young adults including motor-vehicle crashes, homicides, and suicides. According to the 2009 California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) for the Tri-City area (Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista), 37% of high school juniors report drinking at least one drink in the past 30 days, 25% report drinking five or more drinks in the past 30 days and 78% report that alcohol is fairly easy (23%) or very easy (55%) to get if you really want it.
NCPC works with community partners, prevention colleagues, and teens to change the community environment that promotes irresponsible alcohol use and abuse. Efforts focus on the following:
- Social Host ordinances to reduce underage drinking at home parties by informing the public and increasing enforcement;
- Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service (RBSS) ordinances to require sellers and servers of alcohol to receive State-certified training to prevent alcohol sales to minors and sales to intoxicated patrons;
- Alcohol outlet density and conditional use permit (CUP) processes to prevent an over-concentration of alcohol retail businesses;
- Alcohol advertising and marketing assessment and documentation in community settings and businesses to reduce alcohol advertising that appeals to young people.