Responsible decision making regarding alcohol: a re-emerging prevention/education strategy for the 1990s.

Adolescent alcohol use and strategies to deal with drinking and related problems in this population have been the focus of many programs. The concept of responsible decision making regarding the use of alcohol evolved in the late 1970s/early 1980s; it was disregarded as a viable approach by the mid-1980s due to incorrect definitions of the term and misrepresentation that it condoned adolescent drinking/intoxication. However, statistics on youthful drinking indicate that young people have continued to consume alcohol, and many are experiencing problems related to their drinking. Grounded in the reality of the adolescent experience, responsible decision making regarding the use of alcohol provides information, motivates discussion of adolescent activities, and promotes responsible decisions.