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According to a 2006 study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, approximately 5000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking every year. That is, thirteen young people die every day due to underage drinking. The detrimental effects of alcohol are largely known, and yet American society is not doing enough to shield young people from these effects.

It is no secret that young people consume alcohol. A 2005 study by Monitoring the Future showed that three-fourths of 12th graders, more than two-thirds of 10th graders, and two in every five 8th graders had consumed alcohol. In addition, when young people drink, they tend to drink a lot, often four or five drinks at a time. In 1965, the average age of the first drink of alcohol was 17.5 years old. In 2003, this age had dropped to 14 years old. This drop in age has resulted in a worrying death toll for America's youths. Every year underage alcohol use results in 1900 deaths from car crashes, 1600 homicides, 300 suicides and hundreds of deaths from other alcohol related injuries. Compounding these problems are studies that show that people who start to drink before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol addiction later in life.

Alcohol has a powerful yet subtle effect on the brain. It is difficult to state exactly what areas of the brain alcohol affects, but it is known to have a significant impact on thinking and memory skills. This is especially harmful to young people, whose brains are still developing. It is unknown at this time what the long-term effects will be on a person who begins drinking at an early age. Alcohol also causes damage to other parts of the body. Alcohol can damage the livers of young drinkers, causing extensive liver damage. Young people going through puberty have a heady mix of growth hormones coursing through their bodies. Drinking alcohol during this period may upset the balance of these hormones, causing underdeveloped organs, muscles or bones.

There is a plethora of evidence showing that alcohol advertisements reach young people, and persuade them to drink. In 2004, the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University examined the advertising content and readership ages of popular magazines such as Maxim, Cosmopolitan, and Sport Illustrated. The study found that in 2004 underage youths saw more alcohol advertising than did adults in 2002. A 2007 RAND study found that in middle-school children exposed to high levels

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