The state will distribute $10.5 million among the four counties as part of a plan to curb underage drinking in the Islands, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona announced at a news conference yesterday.

The federal grant will go to programs largely targeted at reducing underage drinking or preventing it altogether. The money was awarded to the state in 2006, but before it could be spent a task force had to look at all the substance abuse issues involving youths to decide which poses the biggest problem.

The task force decided that underage drinking outranks illicit drugs and cigarettes.

Aiona applauded the recommendation. "In Hawai'i, alcohol is the most widely abused substance among our young people," Aiona said, adding that the problem is both a local and national one.

The announcement yesterday was part of a series of events planned in April for Alcohol Awareness Month. Also yesterday, Mothers Against Drunk Driving-Hawai'i announced it had kicked off a month-long series of radio spots to raise awareness about the "use and lose" law, which penalizes underage drinkers with a driver's license suspension of 180 days.

That law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2007.

The spots will run on seven stations. "Underage drinking is a serious problem," said Leah Marx, MADD-Hawai'i executive director. "We're going to be promoting this law."

There are also several town hall meetings being held throughout the state to get community members, parents, students and teachers talking about underage drinking. The town halls are part of a nationwide campaign.

Meanwhile, the federal grant money could be distributed to the counties later this year.

The counties would issue the money to programs through a procurement process.

Wendy Nihoa, of the Department of Health's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division, said the decision to spend the money to try to deter underage drinking followed a yearlong study by the task force.

That study, expected to be formally released next month, compares statistics of alcohol use among minors to cigarette and drug use. It's recommendation to dedicate the federal grant to underage drinking programs was based on the statistics, the seriousness of the problem here compared to other states, the ability for the problem to be solved and other factors.

The 80-page report concluded, "Reducing consumption, such as increasing the age of initial use of alcohol and reducing the current use of alcohol, should lead to a reduction in negative consequences."

A 2003 Department of Health survey — the latest available — found that about 27 percent of high school freshmen in the Islands have used alcohol, while 14 percent have used illicit drugs and about the same number have smoked cigarettes.

About 11 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds reported binge drinking, while about 17 percent of 14- to 18-year-olds were currently using marijuana and about 5 percent used cigarettes daily, the survey found.

Nihoa said a new survey was conducted this year. The results will be released in spring 2009.