Her story is not unlike that of Adam C. of North Bellmore. He remembers finishing half- empty wine glasses at family gatherings at age 6. At 10 he was sneaking alcohol out of his parents' liquor cabinet.

"I was drinking Jack Daniel's every day by 14," Adam said. "I couldn't stand who I was, had severe depressions and felt suicidal." Adam stole from his parents, from 7-Elevens, drug dealers and liquor stores. Once he hijacked a car and wrecked it, but he was never caught. "I hit bottom and had to do something," he said. "While still in school there were many kids with alcohol and drug problems like me. A classmate even hanged himself."

Adam finally managed to get sober because of his parents' intervention. They demanded that he undergo therapy, and a drug and alcohol counselor recommended that he attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Now 24, Adam has been sober for eight years. He works at a North Bellmore bank and has an associate's degree in business. "What helps me today," he said, "is that I sponsor young people and go to meetings every day. I feel I have a new life."

Still, Arielle and Adam face a lifelong battle to stay sober. Their stories, verified in conversations with their parents, reflect a growing trend of young people around the country struggling with alcohol addiction.

Alcohol-related Addictions

An estimated 5 to 6 million students, aged 12 to 17, require treatment for alcohol-related addiction problems each year. In a 2001 Centers for Disease Control survey, 31.5 percent of high school students questioned reported "hazardous" drinking (five or more drinks in one setting) within the last 30 days. And a recent study by the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine says that underage drinking costs the United States $53 billion annually, with auto accidents accounting for about a third of that.

The study calls for a massive assault against underage drinking, including higher taxes on liquor, limits on alcohol advertising and its availability. The report also recommends a major media campaign on the effects of youth alcohol consumption.