The authors explain that the characteristics and motivations of young people who frequent Tijuana’s bars and nightclubs could inform programs and interventions designed to curb heavy drinking behavior. The authors examined data derived from a random-digit-dial survey of 2,200 San Diego County residents between 18- to 30-years-old. The survey focused on questions related to demographic characteristics, drinking and drug use history, frequency of visits to Tijuana bars, and ratings of bar features in San Diego versus Tijuana. Findings revealed that approximately half of the respondents 18- to 20-years-old reported visiting Tijuana bars, compared with about one-third of the respondents 21- to 30-years-old. Motivations for visiting Tijuana bars included the low cost of alcohol and the perceived freedom to legally drink heavily. The authors note that the characteristics of Tijuana bars are the same characteristics that are found in other locales that support heavy drinking. These characteristics include the liberal availability of alcohol, a lack of formal controls, and the presence of heavy drinkers. The results of this study, therefore, can inform policies and interventions designed to curb heavy drinking behavior. References