Usually, when Texas makes anyone’s top ten list, we’re pretty happy about it.

In this case though, it involves underage drinking.

Out of the 50 states, Texas ranks number 10 in underage drinking, and that’s just the tip of an alcoholic iceberg.

The Centers for Disease Control have published their Youth Risk Behavior Study, and one of the areas they examined is underage drinking.

And In Texas, the stats are alarming.

In Texas 23.7% of kids under 18 admit to binge drinking, 10th highest in the nation.

10.2% admit to driving while drinking, the 8th highest.

In fact, one third of high schoolers admit to riding with a drinking driver.

That is the leading cause of teen death, kill  6000 kids every year, more than all illegal drugs combined.

And a remarkable 22.8% say they took their first drink before they were 13 years old, 10th highest in the country.

According to experts, it begins at home.

I know you’ve heard that, and it may seem as though your teen ignores every other word you say. But that means every other one may sink in.
 

Here's a link to the CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6104.pdf