Already available in most Utah state liquor stores, the notes are "contracts," with spaces to detail where a child is going, with whom, and at what time he or she will return. There also is a place for the child's signature, and the words "And yes, I will leave if there is alcohol" are prominently displayed.

Smaller tags, meant to be affixed to a refrigerator or liquor cabinet, advise, "At your age drinking is dangerous. So are really angry parents."

The notes and tags, also available free at www.parentsempowered.org, are part of Utah's campaign to eliminate underage drinking, which involves help from many sources, including ParentsEmpowered.org and the Utah Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.

"Research shows that parental disapproval is the No. 1 reason that underage children choose not to drink," UABC chairman Larry V. Lunt says. "But it is not good enough for parents simply to tell youngsters, 'Do not drink.' The possibility of permanent damage is too great."

Lunt cites a 2003 American Medical Association fact sheet about the destructiveness of underage drinking, noting that the brain goes through dynamic change during adolescence, age 12 to 21, and alcohol can seriously damage long- and short-term growth processes.

"Experts say the 40 percent of kids who begin drinking before the age of 15 will become alcohol dependent," he said.

The good news is that Utah leads the nation in addressing underage drinking through state efforts.

The Legislature funded ParentsEmpowered.org to create a media and education campaign that offers strategies for preventing underage alcohol use. The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is the lead agency for the campaign. Other agencies include the Attorney General's Office, Department of Health and the Department of Public Safety/Highway Patrol.

magid@sltrib.com