Lifetime prevalence of alcohol use (46%) among these adolescents was lower, compared to the adolescents in the YRBS (75%; CDC, 2008). Although the prevalence of having consumed drunk alcohol before 13 years of age was lower in this sample compared to those in the YRBS (15% vs. 23.8%, respectively; CDC, 2008), results indicate that with a mean 14.64 years of age for those ever having a full drink of alcohol, the sample in the present study is below the target baseline goal of 16.1 years of age in Healthy People 2010 (DHHS, 2010) for the average age of first use of alcohol. Given the potential for the various deleterious effects of alcohol use, especially the earlier one begins drinking, this is a major cause for concern.
