Introduccion: se caracterizo el consumo de alcohol en estudiantes de grados 10° y 11 de educacion media, de una Institucion oficial de Calarca - Quindio en 2010. Metodos: estudio descriptivo con muestreo no aleatorio. Previa autorizacion institucional de padres de familia y menores se encuestaron 80 estudiantes de grados 10° y 11 sobre consumo de alcohol. Se caracterizaron aspectos sociodemograficos y de consumo. Se utilizo el programa estadistico Epi-info 2002 para establecen frecuencias por variable. Resultados: 61% de la poblacion es de sexo femenino; el 89% entre 16 y 19 anos y un 58% hijos de padres solos. El 60% con problemas academicos. Edad de inicio de consumo promedio a los 15 anos. Prevalencia de vida 83%, consumo reciente 67% y consumo actual 48%. Un riesgo de consumo del 87%. Expresaron problemas academicos y de relaciones con padres y companeros. Conclusion: alta prevalencia de consumo actual y de riesgo, que amerita intervencion especializada para atender danos relacionados con consumo. Abstract Introduction: this article is the characterization of students of grades 10 and 11 in a public secondary education institution in Calarca - Quindio in 2010. Methods: it is a descriptive study. Nonrandom sampling. After signed the informed consent of the institution, the parents and children, the study, interviewed 80 students from grades 10 and 11 about alcohol consumption. Sociodemographic and alcohol consume was evaluated. Using the variable frequencies was obtained using Epi-info V. 2002. Results: 61% of the female population, 89% between 16 and 19 years and 58% children came from single parents. 60% reported academic problems. The age of onset averaged was 15 years. The lifetime prevalence was 83%, recent use: 67%current and 48% actual consumption. The recent use of 87% risk.They expressed academic problems and relationship with parents and peers. Conclusion: high prevalence of current consumption and the Keywords: Consumer-Related Disorders; Consumption of Alcoholic beverages; Prevalence; Students; .Adolescent; Health Promotion; Health Education; Nursing.