Teenage Alcoholism Research

Results from teenage alcoholism research reveal the alarming number of teens who consume alcohol and put their lives – and the lives of those around them – at risk each day.

All youth, ages 12-17:

• 7.2 million drank at least once in the past year
• 2.7 million drank about once a month or more in the past year
• 1 million drank at least once a week or more in the past year
• Girls were as likely as boys their age to drink alcohol
• Hispanic youth were as likely as white non-Hispanic youth to be current drinkers
• Black non-Hispanic youth were the least likely of the racial/ethnic groups to be current drinkers
• 66 percent thought drinking 4 or 5 alcoholic drinks nearly every day was a great risk
• 47 percent thought drinking 4 or 5 alcoholic drinks once or twice a week was a great risk

All youth, ages 12-17:

• 13 percent had at least one serious problem related to drinking in the past year
• 6 percent had built up tolerance to the effects of alcohol
• 3 percent reported psychological problems related to their drinking
• 1 percent reported health problems related to their drinking

Youth, ages 12-17, who drank any alcohol in the past year:

• 39 percent had at least one serious problem related to drinking in the past year
• 18 percent had built up tolerance to the effects of alcohol
• 8 percent reported psychological problems related to their drinking
• 4 percent reported health problems related to their drinking

Youth, ages 12-17, who drank heavily (5 or more drinks on 5 or more occasions in the past month):

• 77 percent had at least one serious problem related to drinking in the past year
• 63 percent had built up tolerance to the effects of alcohol
• 20 percent reported psychological problems related to their drinking
• 12 percent reported health problems related to their drinking

Following are teenage alcoholism research highlightss from the National Survey Results on Drug Use from the Monitoring the Future Study.

8th graders:

• 25 percent reported drinking alcohol in the past month
• 8 percent reported being drunk
• 15 percent reported binge drinking in the 2 weeks prior to the survey
• 1 percent reported drinking every day

• 40 percent reported drinking alcohol in the past month
• 22 percent reported being drunk
• 25 percent reported binge drinking in the 2 weeks prior to the survey
• 2 percent reported drinking every day

12th graders:

• 53 percent reported drinking alcohol in the past month
• 34 percent reported being drunk
• 30 percent reported binge drinking in the 2 weeks prior to the survey
• 4 percent reported drinking every day

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