Underage Alcohol Use: Findings from the 2002-2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health

Underage Alcohol Use: Findings from the 2002-2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health is based on combined data from the 2002 to 2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) involving responses from 158,000 people age 12 to 20 throughout the United States.

This survey is based on a scientific random sample of households throughout the United States, and professional field representatives personally visit each household to conduct the survey. Persons aged 12 to 20 were asked about the nature and scope of their drinking behavior as well as the social conditions under which they drank.

Key findings include:

More than half of all people aged 12 to 20 engaged in underage drinking in their lifetime, ranging from 11.0 percent of 12 year olds to 85.5 percent of 20 year olds.
An average of 3.5 million people aged 12 to 20 each year meet the diagnostic criteria for having an alcohol use disorder (dependence or abuse).
About one in five people in this age group have engaged in binge drinking – consuming five or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past month.
Over half of underage current alcohol users were at someone else's home when they had their last drink, and 30.3 percent were in their own home; 9.4 percent were at a restaurant, bar or club.

Copies of the survey may be obtained free of charge by calling SAMHSA's Health Information Network at 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727). Request inventory number SMA 08-4333.

http://oas.samhsa.gov/underage2k8/toc.htm

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/