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Underage drinking continues to be a major concern among adults nationwide. Many alcoholic beverages are designed and marketed in ways that might appeal to youth, highlighting flavors like fruit and candy, and featuring labeling that might make their alcohol content uncertain to consumers. In honor of Alcohol Awareness Month, we take a look at two past NPCH Reports citing specific concerns over the years.

In a 2009 NPCH Report, we asked adults about their opinions on alcopops, sweet alcoholic beverages that are designed to look and taste like soda pop, tea, punch, and lemonade. Over one-half of adults said they believe alcopops promote underage drinking, and 75% said underage drinking is a problem in their communities. 90% of adults were in favor of alcohol warning labels for alcopops.

In a 2015 NPCH Report, we asked adults about their opinions on potential laws regarding powdered alcohol, a packet of powder that, when combined with 6 ounces of water, makes a single serving of an alcoholic drink. Over 80% of adults said they believe powdered alcohol will increase the use of alcohol by underage youth, and 60% were in favor of bans on the sale of powdered alcohol.

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April is Alcohol Awareness Month. The CDC offers multiple resources and information on excessive alcohol use, binge drinking, and health problems that can result from overuse. For more information, visit cdc.gov.

What do you think?
Do you think alcopops and powdered alcohol promote the likelihood of underage drinking? Don’t forget to share your thoughts with us on Twitter @csmottpoll.