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Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Past Month Alcohol Use Among U.S. 8th, 10th, and 12thGraders Reaches Record Low



The percentage of 8th, 10th, and 12thgraders reporting past month use of alcohol reached record lows* in 2010, according to data from the national Monitoring the Future study. 

Less than one-half (41.2%) of 12thgraders reported drinking at least one sip of alcohol in the past month in 2010, compared to the peak prevalence of 72.1% in 1978. 

Past month prevalence rates among 8th(13.8%) and 10th(28.9%) graders are also at the lowest levels since these grades were first included in the study in 1991 (see figure below). 

In addition, binge drinking—drinking five or more drinks in a row at least once in the two weeks prior to the survey—also continues to decrease in all three grades (data not shown). For example, 23.2% of 12thgraders reported binge drinking in 2010, compared to the peak of 41.4% in 1981.


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