Quantity and Frequency of Alcohol Use Among Underage Drinkers

In 2006, a majority (53.9 percent) of U.S. adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 20 had used an alcoholic beverage at least once in their lifetime, according to a recent report by the SAMHSA's Office of Applied Studies (OAS). Young people aged 12 to 20 consumed approximately 11.2 percent of the alcoholic drinks consumed in the United States in the past month by persons aged 12 or older. Research shows that underage drinkers tend to consume more alcohol per occasion than those over the legal minimum drinking age of 21.

Highlights include the following:

Combined 2005 and 2006 data indicate that an annual average of 28.3 percent of persons aged 12 to 20 in the United States (an estimated 10.8 million persons annually) drank alcohol in the past month.
Past-month alcohol users aged 12 to 20 drank on an average of 5.9 days in the past month and consumed an average of 4.9 drinks per day on the days they drank in the past month.
Underage drinkers aged 12 to 20 consumed, on average, more drinks per day on the days they drank in the past month than persons aged 21 or older (4.9 vs. 2.8 drinks).

The full report can be ordered online or downloaded as a PDF at no cost. Request publication number: NSDUH08-0331

http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/underage/underage.pdf

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Publication Year: 2008

Publisher

Office of Applied Studies (OAS)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
1 Choke Cherry Road
Rockville, md 20857
Phone: 240-276-1250
Website: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/