Harry Reid: “I rise today along with my good friend and colleague Senator Warner because I am deeply concerned with the underage…”

“I rise today along with my good friend and colleague Senator Warner because I am deeply concerned with the underage drinking occurring in America. Alcohol is currently the number 1 drug problem for America's youth. Alcohol kills 6.5 times more young people in America than all other illicit drugs combined, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Drinking under the age of 21 is illegal in all 50 states, yet 10.4 million kids in America consume alcohol illegally, starting on average at just 13 years of age, Health People 2010 Study, Health and Human Services. In my own state of Nevada, there has been a 3-percent increase since 1997 in the number of teens who report drinking. Nevada's youth, ages 12-17 are ranked third nationally in reported illicit drug or alcohol dependence and 5th in binge alcohol use, National Household Survey, 1999. Alcohol is a major contributing factor in approximately half of all youth homicides, suicides, motor vehicle crashes, death and disability in Nevada, Nevada Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 1999. Alcohol is clearly the drug of choice for teenagers throughout America. Specifically in Nevada, 73 percent of 10th graders have tried alcohol, while 33 percent drink monthly. The numbers are even greater for high school seniors, 75 percent and 41 percent respectively, Nevada Safe and Drug Free Schools Survey.”