U.S. ? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data from its Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) showing that alcohol-related fatalities increase between the middle of April and the middle of June. What's significant about these time periods? It happens to be when teenagers tend to do a lot of partying, namely prom and graduation. The FARS data showed that in the year 2000, 58% of traffic fatalities were alcohol-related during the prom and graduation period. This compares with 41% for the rest of the year. In addition, 36% of all alcohol-related traffic fatalities are young people between the ages of 15 and 20, below the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages. This data shows that more work needs to be done on the education and prevention front. This being said, April is national Alcohol Awareness month and the message must be delivered, alcohol is a drug and it costs Americans too much time, money, lives and grief for us not to make a stand. Advertisements from alcoholic beverage companies specifically market to our nation's youth, depicting a fun atmosphere, good-looking people and sometimes a picture total irresponsibility, making it appealing for rebellious or thrill-seeking teenagers. According to a spokesperson from Narconon Arrowhead, one of the nation's leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, the vast majority of people seeking to end their addiction started off with alcohol as a teenager themselves. "Nobody starts using drugs or alcohol with the intent of becoming addicted or loosing their lives," exclaims Arrowhead's President, Luke Catton, "Many do continue down that road though and some are fortunate enough to stop at some point."
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