Adolescent Alcohol Use: Results From the Monitoring the Future Study

Adolescent Alcohol Use:
Results From the Monitoring the Future Study

On December 14, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research released results of the most recent Monitoring the Future Study. According to the 2000 survey, alcohol continues to be the most widely abused drug among adolescents in the United States. Donna Shalala, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, stated that binge drinking among adolescents remained at "unacceptably high" levels. General Barry McCaffrey, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, noted that "the biggest problem we've got among adolescents is binge drinking beer and wine coolers."

Alcohol Use by Eighth, Tenth, and Twelfth Grade Students, 2000

Alcohol Use

8th Grade

10th Grade

12th Grade

Lifetime Use

Any Use

Been Drunk

51.7

25.1

71.4

49.3

80.3

62.3

Annual Use

Any Use

Been Drunk

43.1

18.5

65.3

41.6

73.2

51.8

30-Day Use

Any Use

Been Drunk

22.4

8.3

41.0

23.5

50.0

32.3

5+ Drinks in a Row
in the Last 2 Weeks

14.1

26.2

30.0

From more information on the Monitoring the Future Study: view http://monitoringthefuture.org/data/00data.html, or contact the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at (800) 729-6686.

December 15, 2000