TV Ads May Encourage Underage Drinking

Minors who are familiar with TV alcohol ads are more likely to have tried alcoholic beverages and binge drink than those who do not recall seeing such ads, according to a study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston.

The study shows a link between recognition of nationally televised alcohol ads and underage drinking initiation and heavier use patterns, said lead author Susanne E. Tanski, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Previous research by Tanski and her colleagues showed an association between seeing smoking and drinking in movies and adolescents engaging in these risky behaviors. This study expanded on those findings by exploring whether there is an association between exposure to TV alcohol ads and substance use.