Community leaders, doctors, law enforcement officials, school personnel, and doctors gathered together in Lafayette, Colo., to discuss the current state of underage drinking. The panel was one of hundreds that took place across the country.

"[Leisha Conners-Bauer] said a 2005 survey of Boulder Valley School District students found that while 70 percent to 75 percent of all high school students said they think there is harm involved in drinking alcohol frequently, and as many as 90 percent said they know their parents would disapprove of them drinking, most students still think it's OK to drink in moderation."

Many experts on the panel expressed concern over this viewpoint, citing the likelihood that someone who begins drinking at a young age is at a much higher risk for alcohol dependence than an adult. Read more at DailyCamera.com.

Labels: acceptance, risky_behaviors, underage_drinking

In conjunction with a nationwide survey, Westchester County, New York conducted a survey of its own to try and gauge parental perceptions of teen drug and alcohol use among the County's children. It found that, though parental awareness of substance use was higher than the national average it was still underestimated.

"The good news from this survey is that Westchester parents overwhelmingly disapprove of teen alcohol and tobacco and marijuana use. But the survey shows that they have more permissive attitudes than their national counterparts, especially when it comes to beers and wine coolers and punishing teens when they break rules."

The findings were based on a survey of 414 parents who responded to a survey-by-mail. Responses were then compared to a national sample of 10,450 parents. Read more at Westchester.gov.

Labels: acceptance, awareness, prevention