by Antonia C. Novello

About the author: Antonia C. Novello is a former surgeon general of the United States.

When I began as Surgeon General in 1989, I decided to take on illegal underage drinking because it was about kids, it was about prevention, and back then, I thought it was a fairly contained, “doable” effort.

The Public Health Campaign Against Underage Drinking

Little did I realize that the avalanche of public concern and public health data I found made this issue—alcohol—possibly one of the most significant public health challenges we face today in our country.

Ihave spent much of my time speaking out on this problem. I have gone to small towns, I have spoken to advocacy groups, I have held press conferences and issued an eye-opening series...