ASU Research E-Magazine: Warning Labels Don't Stop Teen Drinkers

Warning labels on alcoholic beverage containers may have a positive effect on adolescents initially, but they do not curb teen drinking in the long run, according to the results of a study conducted by ASU scientists.

In 1989, the U.S. Government mandated that warning labels appear on alcoholic beverage containers to alert consumers of the health risks of drinking. But researchers found no evidence that those warning labels lessen adolescent drinking or alcohol-related problem behaviors," says David P. MacKinnon, an ASU psychology professor and the study’s principal investigator.

MacKinnon and his colleagues surveyed 32,500 teenagers from Marion County, Indiana. The students were in the 10th through 12th grades during the first five years that warning labels were required. The researchers reported their findings in the October 2000 issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Teens saw and remembered the warning after its inclusion on alcohol containers. But these positive effects seemed to dwindle over time.

“The awareness of and memory effects of the label leveled off about 3-1/2 years after the warning was required,” says MacKinnon.

He says that label warnings probably become less novel with repeated exposures. To increase awareness, MacKinnon thinks that warning labels could be made more conspicuous, something inventive to get an adolescent's attention.

The researchers looked at the effects of warning labels on alcohol consumption and driving while intoxicated. They found no clear reductions in either practice that could be attributed to the labels. However, MacKinnon says there is clear evidence that teens drinking the most alcohol also have the best knowledge of the label.

What do the findings mean?

“Warning labels are not effective in changing adolescent alcohol use. Other prevention measures are definitely needed,” MacKinnon says.

“However, our findings also indicate that the warning is being seen and remembered, which is a bit of a surprise. It appears that the label to some extent plays a positive role by informing adolescents about the risks of alcohol use.”—Lynette Summerill