Local communities convened about 1,200 town-hall meetings across the U.S. this week to raise awareness about underage drinking and spur action to address the problem.

Funded by small grants from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the meetings were held in all 50 states with the theme "Start Talking Before They Start Drinking." A broad spectrum of community leaders came together to discuss ways to prevent underage drinking by reducing demand, availability, and access to alcohol.

SAMHSA noted that alcohol is the most widely abused drug in the U.S. among youths ages 12-20. "Underage drinking is not inevitable, as some parents may think," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie. "For too long, underage drinking has been accepted as a rite of passage in this country, and far too many young people, their friends and families, have paid the price. It's time to change attitudes toward teen drinking from acceptance to abstinence. It's time to get real, get focused, and push back. It's time for parents and teachers, clergy and coaches to talk with children early and often about alcohol, especially before they've started drinking."

Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free, a group of governors' spouses, has helped spearhead the campaign against underage drinking and has been deeply involved in organizing the town hall meetings. Also supporting the effort are a series of public-service ads on underage drinking, developed by SAMHSA and the Ad Council and distributed to 28,000 media outlets nationally. SAMHSA also is working with Scholastic, Inc., to educate 5th- and 6th-graders about alcohol via the Reach Out Now campaign in April, which is National Alcohol Awareness Month.

"Town hall meetings, PSAs, and the Reach Out Now materials are only the beginning," Curie said. "Each community is being encouraged to think about how it can plan and implement a comprehensive long-term approach to preventing underage drinking."