April 2026: Alcohol Awareness and Underage Drinking Prevention Month

WHEREAS, adolescence is a critical and often vulnerable stage of human development, and it is during this time that many young people experiment with substances such as alcohol; and,

WHEREAS, compared to those who wait until they are 21 years of age to drink, young people who start drinking before the age of 15 are at a higher risk for developing alcohol use disorder later in life and are more likely to be in a motor vehicle crash due to alcohol use; and,

WHEREAS, youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience problems in school and their social life, legal problems, physical and sexual violence, higher risk for suicide and homicide, misuse of other substances, and have changes in brain development that may have lifelong effects; and,

WHEREAS, the solution to ending underage drinking comes through widespread collaboration and engagement of multiple organizations and communities with all adults doing their part; and,

WHEREAS, during this month, we join with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to ask that parents, youth, government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, workplaces, and all Michiganders support the efforts to reduce and prevent underage drinking in our state by limiting alcohol availability to minors;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, and Garlin Gilchrist II, lieutenant governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim April 2026 as Alcohol Awareness and Underage Drinking Prevention Month in Michigan.