National Survey Shows that Nearly 25 Percent of Hispanic Youth Aged 12 to 20 Drank Alcohol in the Past Month

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly a quarter of Hispanic youth aged 12-20 (23.1 percent) drank alcohol in the past month, according to a survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  The data were drawn from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

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In a major effort to combat the epidemic of underage drinking, SAMHSA and the Ad Council today launched a new series of national Spanish-language public service advertisements to encourage Hispanic parents to talk to their children about drinking alcohol at an early age. The campaign and study are being released in conjunction with Alcohol Awareness Month (April) and as part of the Surgeon General's "Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking." The PSAs are being distributed to media outlets throughout the country and will also be available on line at the campaign's online fulfillment.

Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among America's youth. Alcohol contributes to the three leading causes of death among 12-20-year-olds (unintentional injury, homicide and suicide). And research shows that those who start drinking before age 15 are six times more likely to have alcohol problems as adults than those who start drinking at age 21 or older.

"Prevention is the number one priority of SAMHSA, and reducing underage drinking is a key part of that effort. Underage drinking is a national crisis putting the lives of millions of Americans at risk as well as the futures of many of our youth," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. "The national educational campaign SAMHSA is undertaking with the Ad Council aims at bringing to bear the most effective weapon against underage drinking -- conversations between parents and their children."

Created by ad agency GlobalHue Latino, through the Ad Council, the new PSAs aim to reach parents of children ages 11-15, with an emphasis on parents of middle school children who have not yet started drinking. The television, radio and Internet ads are designed to reduce and delay the onset of underage drinking by increasing communication between parents and youth.

"Despite its prevalence and serious consequences, many parents underestimate the extent to which their children use alcohol and even consider it inevitable," said Peggy Conlon, president & CEO of The Advertising Council. "These new compelling ads and interactive components will continue to build on our efforts to create a greater sense of urgency for parents and encourage them to talk to their children early and often about the dangers of alcohol."

The PSA campaign includes resources for parents that illustrate the short and long-term consequences of underage drinking and for tips on talking with their kids about alcohol. The site features an action plan that parents can personalize for their children to help start the conversation and sharable resources to send to family members, peers, and other adult influencers on their child's decision to drink.  In an effort to further the reach of the campaign to parents online, a social media program will also kick off this week

In addition to these ads, SAMHSA and the Ad Council will launch PSAs designed specifically to reach parents in the Chinese and American Indian communities and general market English PSAs.

The Ad Council and SAMHSA first launched the national Underage Drinking Prevention campaign in November 2005. According to the Ad Council's tracking study, since the launch, there has been a significant increase in the number of parents who are extremely concerned about underage drinking with their level of concern now comparable to issues, including sex, drug use and academic performance.

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions, treatment and mental health services delivery system. SAMHSA can be reached at www.samhsa.gov.

The Advertising Council is a private, non-profit organization that has been the largest producer of PSAs in the nation since 1942. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org.

GlobalHue is a full-service marketing communications agency with total market and cultural expertise. www.globalhue.com

SOURCE The Ad Council