Residents of New York who have children under the age of 21 may wonder if their children consume alcoholic beverages. Additionally, they may wonder why the young adults choose to drink and why they choose specific brands. Is it because of the price or possibly the taste? Or maybe it’s something else completely.

A study that was recently conducted by The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health reveals that minors’ exposure to advertising could play a large part in these decisions.

The researchers combined 14 long-term studies that looked at the exposure of young individuals to alcohol advertising. These studies found that, if they are not yet drinking, the more exposed they are to these advertisements, the more likely they are to start drinking. The research also found that if the minors are already drinking, then they are more likely to consume even more the more they are exposed to the advertising.

The author of the study states that the age group with the highest rate of heavy episodic drinking and alcohol use disorders are young individuals between the ages of 18 and 20. Therefore, he believes it is important to monitor youth exposure to alcohol advertising because it is a significant risk factor for underage drinking. Unfortunately, the study revealed that the 25 brands most likely to be consumed by 18 to 20-year-olds were also the most likely to appear in magazines that are being read by that age group.

Minors who are consuming alcohol often don’t understand that this behavior can lead to criminal charges. Alcohol-related charges can have quite a negative impact on the life of the minor. A charge for minor in consumption or a student charged with drunk driving can mean monetary fines, arrest, required participation in alcohol rehabilitation programs and so much more. These penalties can have a lasting negative impact on the life of the minor. Therefore, it is important to start mitigation efforts as soon as possible.

Source: Yahoo News, “Alcohol ads linked to underage drinkers’ favorite brands,” July 8, 2014