Responsibility.org Details Progress Against Underage Drinking

Responsibility.org urged parents to share the latest data from the University of Michigan's "Monitoring the Future" study which shows a continuing downward trend in underage alcohol consumption.

The rate of current alcohol consumption increases with increasing age according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 1.2% among 12-13 year olds to 6% among 14-15 years to 13% at ages 16-17, and more than doubling among 18-20 year olds (31%). 

The National Survey also found the 86% of teens haven't consumed alcohol in the past 30 day, and that six out of 10 American teens have never consumed alcohol, "a clear indication of success in delaying the onset of underage drinking."

Harmful consumption by teens also continues to decline. From 2014 to 2023, binge drinking fell51% among teens in the 8th 10th and 12th grades.

The study also found that binge drinking has reached record low levels, peer disapproval of binge drinking is up and ease of access to alcohol is also at an all time low.

College Drinking

Citing the University of Michigan's "Monitoring the Future" study, Responsibility.org also noted that since 1991, annual consumption among college students declined 15% proportionally, monthly consumption has declined 27%
proportionately, and binge drinking declined 49%. 

In 2023, one in four college students (25%) report they did not consume alcohol in the past 12 months, and 45 percent report they did not drink alcohol in the past 30-days. Rates of binge drinking among college students decreased significantly from 2022 to 2023, reaching a new historic low level in binge drinking.     

• In 2023, more than one in five college students report binge drinking (having five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks). However, the prevalence of binge drinking among college students declined significantly – 21 percent proportionally – from 27.7 percent in 2022 to 21.9 percent in 2023.
• Over the past ten years there have been significant decreases in binge drinking among college men and college women. In 2023, binge drinking rates among college men reached the lowest record level since record-keeping began in 1980 at 24.4 percent. Among college women binge drinking (19.9 percent) decreased significantly from 2022 to 2023.
• Binge drinking had typically been more prevalent among college than noncollege young adults over the years, but in 2023 there was no significant difference.
• High-intensity drinking (consuming 10 or more drinks in a row at least once in the past two weeks) declined significantly from 2021 to 2022. In 2023, one in 20 college students (5.1 percent) said they consumed 10 or more drinks in a row consistent with 5.2 percent in 2022.
• College men were 2.6 times more likely to report having engaged in high-intensity drinking than their college women peers (7.9% and 3.0%, respectively).