A county program has significantly cut the sales of alcohol to minors, said Eric Honma, director of the Department of Liquor Control.

When liquor inspectors —working with police and volunteers from Mothers Against Drunk Driving—started testing retailers with liquor licenses, more than a third of retailers failed.

Six years later, the figure is about 8 percent, Honma said.

Honma said state figures suggest half of high school seniors have been drunk at least once, and many begin drinking in the seventh and eighth grades.

"If you look at the statistics about underage drinking, it's quite alarming," he said.