MultiVu Video: Two-Thirds of Teens Have Made Bad Decisions Linked to Underage Drinking; Girls More Likely to Suffer Related Social Consequences

    NEW YORK, April 9, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- STORY SUMMARY: Ninety-seven
 percent of American teen girls (ages 15-17) agree that underage drinking is
 not worth the adverse consequences it can cause. Yet two-thirds (68%) of
 American teens (boys and girls) admit they -- or someone they know -- have
 made regrettable decisions linked to drinking, according to a new survey
 from The Century Council, a Washington-based group, which fights unlawful
 underage drinking. The nationwide survey, conducted by KRC Research,
 examined a wide range of attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of 500 boys and
 girls ages 12-17. Key survey findings include:
 
 

     Gender Matters:
     -- Teen boys (67%) and girls (76%) believe that girls have "more to lose"
        when under the influence of alcohol.
     -- More boys are most concerned with not being able to participate in
        school sports or clubs as a result of drinking (15%) compared to girls
        (4%). Eleven percent of older teen boys and girls (15-17) are most
        concerned about not being able to attend once in a lifetime events such
        as prom or graduation.
 
     Teens Admit to Bad Decisions, Recognize Risks:
     -- Nine in ten (90%) don't think drinking is worth the negative
        consequences, with older teen girls (15-17) agreeing the most (97% vs.
        89% for 12-14 year olds).
     -- Forty-five percent say they -- or someone they know -- have said things
        to friends they regret and four in ten (40%) say they -- or someone
        they know -- have gotten into a fight while drinking.
     -- Older teens (15-17) are more likely than younger teens (12-14) to say
        they -- or someone they know -- have made at least one bad decision as
        a result of drinking - 72% vs. 60%.
     -- One fourth of teens (26%) admit they -- or someone they know -- have
        ridden in a car with a driver who has been drinking, and 21% admit they
        -- or someone they know -- have driven under the influence.
     The social and physical risks of underage drinking revealed in the
 survey are reflected in an innovative, teen-directed public service
 announcement (PSA) titled "What You Don't Know." The unique PSA concept --
 recently selected by representatives of MTV, the Ad Council and 20,000
 online voters -- aims to deter teens from underage drinking. The Century
 Council developed the "Reel Girls, Real Life" contest to encourage girls
 nationwide to submit concepts for television PSAs to dissuade peers from
 drinking, part of their public education initiative, Girl Talk: Choices and
 Consequences of Underage Drinking.
 
     Kylee Darcy, a freshman at the University of California at Berkeley won
 the contest, and was awarded $5,000 and the opportunity to shoot her PSA
 with industry pros. Darcy's PSA features two teen girls, "Kristen" and
 "Sarah," who are shocked to discover that a video of "Sarah" drinking at a
 party surfaced on a social networking web site. Viewers are instructed to
 visit www.alot2lose.com to find out what happens next.
 
     For more information about Girl Talk or The Century Council, visit:
 www.grltlk.org or www.centurycouncil.org
 
     ADDITIONAL RE

SOURCES: Video, hard copy requests, downloadable MPEG2,
 contact information and more available at
 http://www.prnewswire.com/broadcast/31988/press.shtml
 
     VIDEO PROVIDED BY: The Century Council
 
     FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION OR HARD COPY, PLEASE CALL: MultiVu Media
 Relations, 800-653-5313 EXT. 3
 
 
 

SOURCE The Century Council