​​​​​Ask, Listen, Learn Program Marks 20 Years of Underage Drinking Prevention Progress

New survey released during Alcohol Responsibility Month this April found that parents are critical in preventing youth from drinking alcohol  

WASHINGTON – The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) today celebrates the 20th anniversary of Ask, Listen, Learn, a program that has been critical in the decline of underage drinking. For two decades, Ask, Listen, Learn has supplied parents and caregivers, educators, and organizations with the support they need to have conversations with kids aged 9-13 about the impact of alcohol and cannabis on their developing brains, empowering them to say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to underage drinking. The results of prevention education are substantial. Since 2003, the rate of past month alcohol consumption among underage youth has decreased 53%. 

“Data has shown us that, although we sometimes forget it or deny that it's true, kids really are listening and watching adults,” said Leslie Kimball, Executive Director at Responsibility.org. “As parents, it’s important that we continue building healthy relationships with our children, as we’re vital to preventing underage drinking.”  

According to Responsibility.org’s survey released this month, kids report their parents as the number one (33%) influence on their decision to drink or not drink alcohol, followed by best friends (25%), and social media (17%). The survey also found that: 

• 93% of parents have talked to their kids at least once in the past year about alcohol consumption, and over the past 20 years, the rate of past month consumption among underage kids decreased 53%. 

• 90% of kids have talked with their parents or another caregiver about the dangers of drinking alcohol.
• One in 3 youth say they are worried about illegal drugs and overdoses (38%), underage drinking (38%), and underage cannabis use (34%) 

From discussions about refraining from drinking alcohol underage to the effects of underage cannabis use, Responsibility.org’s program has helped families and educators guide their kids and students towards a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Through free, online resources, adults have digestible information at their fingertips to keep children substance-free. The organization has worked, and continues to work, in partnership with many organizations to keep kids substance-free including Discovery Education, Classroom Champions, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), SHAPE America, making Ask, Listen, Learn the most widely distributed program of its kind. 

"Over the past 20 years, Ask, Listen, Learn has provided adults with the tools to communicate with kids about alcohol and cannabis and their effects on the developing brain,” said Chris Swonger, President and CEO of Responsibility.org and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. “I’ve initiated these important conversations with my children, and I urge other parents to do the same.” 

Building on the foundation of Ask, Listen, Learn, Responsibility.org is launching #Take20WithKids, a new campaign that will encourage adults to “take 20” minutes, seconds, or even deep breaths to connect and discuss the risks associated with underage drinking, to model responsible behavior, or to take action on a goal.  

For more information on the Ask, Listen, Learn program and to learn more about how to #Take20WithKids, please visit www.asklistenlearn.org. 

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About Responsibility.org
Responsibility.org is a national not-for-profit that aims to eliminate drunk driving and work with others to end all impaired driving, eliminate underage drinking, and empower adults to make a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices as part of a balanced lifestyle. Responsibility.org is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi USA, Inc.; Beam Suntory Inc.; Brown-Forman; Campari Group; Constellation Brands; DIAGEO; Edrington, Mast-Jägermeister US, Inc.; Moët Hennessy USA; Ole Smoky, LLC; Pernod Ricard USA; and William Grant & Sons. For more than 30 years, Responsibility.org has transformed countless lives through programs that bring individuals, families, and communities together to inspire a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. To learn more, please visit www.Responsibility.org. 

Survey Methodology 

APCO Insight conducted a study on behalf of Responsibility.org to assess perceptions around underage alcohol consumption in the U.S. The survey reached n=1,298 parents of children ages 10–18-year-old and n=559 10–18-year-old children who were paired up with their parents in the overall sample. This survey was conducted using an online methodology and data was collected from Feb. 24 through March 6, 2023. 

Two demographic oversamples were collected to ensure robust sample sizes among Black parents (n=200) and Hispanic parents (n=200). The oversamples were down weighted in the overall dataset to ensure the sample is demographically representative for reporting.