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Youth Drinking Higher Where Alcohol Outlets Proliferate
January 5, 2009

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Research Summary

Adolescents who live within walking distance of a liquor store or other alcohol outlet are more likely to engage in binge drinking or drive drunk, according to researchers from the Pardee RAND Graduate School in Santa Monica, Calif.

The Los Angeles Times reported Dec. 29 that drinking rates were higher among 12- to 17-year-olds who lived within a half-mile of an alcohol outlet, and that minority neighborhoods tended to have a higher density of alcohol outlets than predominantly white communities.

(How do alcohol outlets affect communities?)

"Our study suggests that living in close proximity to alcohol outlets is a risk factor for youth," according to the researchers. "In California, retail licenses are not typically approved within 100 feet of a residence or within 600 feet of schools, public playgrounds and nonprofit youth facilities, but proximity by itself is not sufficient to deny a license ... More attention on the proximity rule is needed and environmental interventions need to curb opportunities for youth to get alcohol from commercial sources."

The research was published online ahead of publication in the American Journal of Public Health.
This article summarizes an external report or press release on research published in a scientific journal. When available, links to the sources are provided above.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:
(Comments now appear first to last)

Posted by Joshua Lynd on 06 Jan 09 11:18 AM EST
This is ridiculous, can we safely assume that those children that live closer have parents that don't attempt to manage their childrens environments. Those parents typically have alcohol in their houses giving the children ease of access. And how do you relate walking to a liqour store to drunk driving? The only thing that leads to drunk driving is the consumption of alcohol and the poor choices that coincide with it. Until society disallows alcohol as a social pasttime our children will never be disassociated with it. It's bias survey that allows a poor answer to an easy problem. We live in a "do as I say do" society and until people realize actions not words dictate childrens behavior it will not change.

Posted by Been There on 06 Jan 09 04:34 PM EST
It's been well established that alcohol outlets increase in areas where property values, incomes and two-parent families decrease. It's not rocket science to understand that in single family depressed areas there will be more despair, hopelessness and poverty. Society allows big alcohol to promote its product as a way out- especially to this population. And yes, easier access does lead to more consumption. Mr. Lynd needs to take a drive outside his gated community and take a closer look at just how the alcohol industry feeds off the less fortunate.

Posted by Rob Hall on 06 Jan 09 04:54 PM EST
"And how do you relate walking to a liqour store to drunk driving?" That's the point. There is a statistical link between the two. Period. I agree with Mr. Lynd about poor choices...but am skeptical of our ability to "disallow alcohol as a social pasttime." Young people drink because they are taught to drink; even if their parents don't drink at all, the media messages promote alcohol as an integral part of our way of life. Know how much it costs Coors Light to be the official light beer of the NFL? Know how much it costs Budweiser for all the ads during the Super Bowl? Do you believe that those companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising because it doesn't work?

Posted by Rekaya Gibson on 12 Jan 09 12:50 PM EST
I wonder how many youth, ages 12-17, have cars in the community surveyed. I tried pulling up the entire article, but it costs too much. I rather have all the information before commenting or referencing a study. Join Together, please consider posting a full lenght article next time. Thank you.

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