Harry Potter and the Underage Drinkers: Can We Use This to Talk to Teens About Alcohol?

ABSTRACT

Underage drinking continues to be a major problem in America. Approximately 20% of all alcohol consumed in the United States is consumed by minors with 44% of 8th graders and 77% of 12th graders reporting that they have tried alcohol at least once. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that, in 2003, as many as 3,657 drivers, 15 to 20 years old, were killed in motor vehicle crashes in the United States. The most recent book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, has several references to underage drinking and the provision of alcohol to minors by adults. Given the popularity of the book, clinicians can use this to talk to adolescents about alcohol use.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcohol
• underage drinking
• binge drinking