Through its various research, the NIAAA finds underage drinking, a major public health problem. Consequences of underage drinking include poor academics, arrest for driving or domestic violence while drunk, injury, assault, unprotected and unsafe sex, suicide attempts, health problems, vandalism, property damage, and sometimes death from alcohol poisoning. Research shows that more than 70% of the youths have had at least one drink by age 18, and more than 40 percent of college students under the age of 21 have reported binge drinking in the past 2 weeks (College). Numerous students enter into university with bad drinking habits, and the campus environment can worsen the problem. Underage drinking has been of concern for many years to those interested in preventing alcohol-related problems. One of the major factors that contributes to this massive problem is alcohol beverage advertising, which has been attracting people to drink, especially young adults who have become the main target of these advertising (Studying). A widely known example is beer advertising during college sporting events, especially college football and basketball, which are the most watched events by college students. It is mind-boggling that National Collegiate Athletic Association advertising rules prohibit ads for tobacco products, gambling, and alcohol beverages except beverages that contain 6% or less alcohol such as beer, which ironically is the top alcoholic drink on college campuses.
On the other side, the alcohol industry does not recognize any relationship between alcohol beverage advertising and underage drinking. The International Center for Alcohol Policies's comparative studies across countries and other analyses suggest that culture of parental influence and drinking habits, family structure, peer pressure, alcohol expectancies and drinking motives play a prominent role in young people's drinking patterns.