Current and Binge Drinking Among High School Students — United States, 1991–2015

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Each year from 2006 to 2010, excessive alcohol consumption was responsible for approximately 4,300 deaths among persons aged <21 years, and, in 2010, underage drinking cost the United States $24.3 billion.

What is added by this report?

The overall prevalence of current drinking among U.S. high school students declined significantly from 50.8% in 1991 to 44.7% in 2007, then further declined to 32.8% in 2015. The prevalence of binge drinking increased from 31.3% in 1991 to 31.5% in 1999, then declined significantly to 17.7% in 2015. However, in 2015, approximately one in three high school students drank alcohol during the past 30 days and one in six were binge drinkers. Most high school students who drank (57.8%) were also binge drinkers, and more than two in five binge drinkers consumed eight or more drinks in a row.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Despite progress, current and binge drinking remain common among high school students, and many students who binge drink do so at high intensity (i.e. eight or more drinks in a row). Widespread use of evidence-based prevention strategies for excessive drinking (e.g. increasing alcohol taxes, regulating alcohol outlet density, and having commercial host liability laws) could help reduce underage drinking and related harms.