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 2007 California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) for San Diego County, 62% of high school juniors report having tried alcohol, 42% have been very drunk or sick, and 37% report drinking in the past 30 days.

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.