Alcohol use is common in the USA, with over 70% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 years reporting alcohol use within the past year (Chen et al. 2004). Alcohol use typically begins in adolescence, with 33% of US 8th graders (~ages 13–14) reporting a history of alcohol use in 2011; by the 10th grade (~ages 15–16) this figure increases to 56%, and by the 12th grade (~ages 17–18) 70% of adolescents have used alcohol (Johnston et al. 2011). Excessive alcohol consumption is related to an increased probability of alcohol-use disorders (Dawson et al. 2005; McCambridge et al. 2011), as well as to a myriad of other negative health-related outcomes, including hypertension, liver disease and some types of cancer (Giacosa et al. 2012). Among adolescents, alcohol use is related to leading causes of death (e.g. motor vehicle accidents, homicides) and risky behaviors such as physical fighting and sexual activities (Boekeloo & Novik, 2011). Furthermore, the economic cost of excessive alcohol use in the USA, taking into consideration alcohol-related crime, medical consequences, lost productivity, etc, was estimated at $224 billion in 2006 (Bouchery et al. 2011). Clearly, alcohol use affects the majority of the population directly or indirectly.
