U.S. Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu said that the fact that he didn't drink alcohol until after age 21 had a lot to do with the good role models provided by his parents, the New Mexican reported Sept. 26.

Moritsugu, who was in New Mexico to promote his Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking, said his father drank the occasional glass of beer, while his mother limited her drinking to a rare glass of wine.

"My parents were my role models," he said. "It's exactly the message that we're trying to get out into the community -- that parents and adults need to model responsible drinking, when it is appropriate and when it is legal. But also be respectful of the fact that the science tells us increasingly that underage drinking is dangerous to our youth, (and) is also dangerous to our community."

Moritsugu discouraged parents from serving alcohol to their underage children at home, even though it is legal to do so. "I think that we send our kids a mixed message when we say on one hand, 'No, you can't drink; you shouldn't drink.' On the other hand we say, 'You can drink at home,' " he said. "Our youth, our teenagers are looking for a clear and unequivocal message -- and we need to be consistent if we're going to get that message across."