Underage drinking among American youth remains significantly lower than peak years.
Washington, DC— Today, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) released the results of its 2024 Monitoring the Future Survey, which tracks long-term behaviors of substance use and related attitudes amongst 8th,10th, and 12th grade students.
Long-term declines in underage drinking noted over the past few decades remain, and the just-released 2024 Monitoring the Future study found that alcohol consumption among America’s teens is at record low levels and continues to fall below pre-pandemic prevalence rates. From 2023 to 2024, lifetime and past year consumption declined significantly for both 10th and 12th grade students, and among 10th graders, past month consumption also significantly declined over the past year. Additionally, past 30-day abstinence (defined as no alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine use) increased among 10th grade and 12th grade students, while lifetime abstinence also increased among 12th graders.
More specifically, the survey found the following:
- A record high number of teens report they have never consumed alcohol – 82% of students in 8th grade, 68% of 10th graders, and 51% of 12th graders. Lifetime consumption over the past ten years has declined 29%, proportionally, among 8th graders, 32% among 10th graders, and 24% among high school seniors.
- In 2024, past 30-day consumption and binge drinking remained at record low levels and below pre-pandemic levels. Current drinking among teens declined among all three grade levels from 2023 to 2024, with statistically significant declines noted among 10th graders. The longer-term trend over the past 10-years shows declines of 49 percent among 8th graders, 47% among 10th graders, and 39% among 12th graders.
- Binge drinking (defined as consuming five or more drinks in a row at least once during the past two weeks) rates declined slightly, but not significantly, from 2023 to 2024, reaching record low levels among students in all three grade levels. Over the past ten years the prevalence of binge drinking has been cut in almost half – down 63% proportionally among 8th graders, 57% among 10th graders, and 49% among 12th graders.
- Peer disapproval of binge drinking remains high among students in all three grade levels in 2024, increasing significantly among high school seniors but remains below the record high recorded in 2018 (76%). The perceived risk of binge drinking increased among students in grades 8, 10 and 12, with significant increases noted among 8th and 12th graders. Meanwhile ease of access to alcohol also decreased significantly among 10th graders and 12th graders.
The 2024 study results show continuing and gradual progress being made toward eliminating underage drinking across the country, but more work remains to be done.
“Delaying the onset of alcohol consumption in kids is a key factor in reducing future substance abuse as they grow into adults. This new data is a testament to the resources and materials that both we at Responsibility.org and our partners create to keep kids safe and alcohol-free.” said Leslie Kimball, Executive Director of Responsibility.org. “As parents, we are the leading influence on their decisions about alcohol, and using these new numbers to energize our mission, we will continue working towards eliminating underage drinking once and for all. As the mom of two teens, I’m personally and professionally dedicated to making sure parents and caregivers continue to empower kids to make informed, responsible choices.”
Responsibility.org’s science-based educational programs such as Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix and Alcohol101+ work to equip parents and educators with the tools and resources they need to start and continue conversations about the dangers of underage drinking and binge drinking. In addition, industry supported campaigns such as We Don’t Serve Teens bring together communities, businesses, and families to keep alcohol out of the hands of everyone under the legal drinking age. These efforts have helped bring attention to critical issues in keeping kids alcohol-free and shaping their attitudes and perceptions about alcohol.
Responsibility.org credits progress in the fight to eliminate underage drinking to a wide variety of partners who support and champion these efforts, model responsible practices, and promote prevention education. Among them are the American School Counselor Association, the Association of Middle Level Educators, Classroom Champions, Discovery Education, the Society for Health and Physical Education (SHAPE America), and the Responsibility.org team of social media parent influencers, among many other dedicated advocates.
The full Monitoring the Future survey results are available here.
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About Responsibility.org
Responsibility.org is a national not-for-profit that aims to eliminate drunk driving and work with others to end all impaired driving, eliminate underage drinking, and empower adults to make a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices as part of a balanced lifestyle. Responsibility.org is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi USA, Inc.; Beam Suntory Inc.; Brown-Forman; Campari Group; Constellation Brands; DIAGEO; Edrington, Hotaling, Inc.; Mast-Jägermeister US, Inc.; Moët Hennessy USA; Ole Smoky, LLC; Pernod Ricard USA; and William Grant & Sons. Since 1991, Responsibility.org has transformed countless lives through programs that bring individuals, families, and communities together to inspire a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. To learn more, please visit www.Responsibility.org.
