The NSDUH Report: Underage Alcohol Use: Where Do Young People Get Alcohol?

Each week, the Higher Education Center showcases recent developments in the field of AOD abuse and violence prevention in higher education that may include new data and resources, upcoming events and programs, funding opportunities, and learning opportunities. To see a listing of previous This Week! features, visit the This Week! archive.

December 11, 2008

According to The NSDUH Report: Underage Alcohol Use: Where Do Young People Get Alcohol?, in 2006, more than one in four persons aged 12 to 20 in the United States, or about 10.8 million persons, drank alcohol in the past month (i.e., were current drinkers). Nearly one in five persons aged 18 to 20 drove under the influence of alcohol in the past 12 months in 2006, and each year approximately 1,900 people under the age of 21 die as a result of alcohol-involved motor vehicle crashes. In addition, early initiation of alcohol use is associated with increased likelihood of unprotected sexual intercourse and multiple sex partners.

The following are brief findings from the report:

  • A majority (53.4 percent) of current alcohol users aged 12 to 20 drank at someone else’s home the last time they used alcohol, and another 30.3 percent drank in their own home.
  • The percentage of underage alcohol users who had their most recent drink in a car or other vehicle peaked at 10.0 percent at age 16 (12.8 percent of females and 7.3 percent of males).
  • Among 20-year-old current drinkers, 20.0 percent of females drank in a restaurant, bar, or club the last time they used alcohol compared with 10.2 percent of males.
  • Nearly one-third of current alcohol users aged 12 to 20 (30.6 percent) paid for the last alcohol they used, more than one in four (26.4 percent) obtained it for free from a non-relative aged 21 or older, 14.6 percent obtained it for free from another underage person, 5.9 percent obtained it from a parent or guardian, and 8.5 percent obtained it from another relative aged 21 or older.
  • Current alcohol users aged 12 to 20 consumed more drinks on average the last time if they paid for the last alcohol they used (6.0 drinks) compared with those who did not pay for their last alcohol use (3.9 drinks).

For more information, visit the NSDUH Web site to read the full report in PDF or HTML format, or order online (publication number: NSDUH08-0828).