Underage drinkers rushed to ER mostly male

A federal government report reveals males account for the majority of U.S. hospital emergency visits involving underage drinkers.

In 2008, there were almost 189,000 alcohol-related visits to emergency rooms made by patients ages 12 to 20, accounting for a third of drug-related emergency room visits by this age group.

Among patients who were underage drinkers, males accounted for 53.4 percent of those ages 12 to 17 and 62.1 percent of those ages 18 to 20, according to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).