December 10, 2009 |
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Among young adults approaching their 21st birthdays (i.e., persons surveyed in the 30 days prior to their 21st birthday), 86.1 percent had used alcohol in their lifetime, including 62.8 percent who had initiated use before their 18th birthdays.
The 21st birthday was generally associated with an increase in lifetime and past month alcohol use. Past month use was generally consistent across time during the year before the young adults reached their 21st birthdays, with past month alcohol use indicated by 57.4 percent of 20 year olds who were surveyed 331 to 366 days from their 21st birthdays and by 59.3 percent of those who were surveyed in the 30 days prior to their 21st birthdays (Figure 1; Table 1). This rate increased to 77.0 percent for 21 year olds surveyed on or within 14 days after their 21st birthdays and to 75.9 percent for those surveyed 15 to 45 days after their 21st birthdays. Following this increase associated with the 21st birthday, however, the rate of past month drinking decreased and stabilized at approximately 70 percent for 21 year olds who were surveyed 46 days or more after their 21st birthdays.
* Binge alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. |
Source: 2002 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Age | Number of Days Before or After 21st Birthday |
Lifetime Alcohol Use |
Past Month Alcohol Use |
Binge Alcohol Use |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 Years | 331-366 | 83.7% | 57.4% | 41.2% |
20 Years | 301-330 | 80.5% | 52.7% | 38.1% |
20 Years | 271-300 | 85.6% | 57.4% | 39.4% |
20 Years | 241-270 | 83.4% | 57.8% | 39.2% |
20 Years | 211-240 | 84.6% | 56.7% | 38.4% |
20 Years | 181-210 | 85.8% | 54.9% | 38.2% |
20 Years | 151-180 | 86.4% | 58.1% | 40.8% |
20 Years | 121-150 | 84.7% | 55.1% | 39.4% |
20 Years | 91-120 | 85.4% | 56.2% | 38.5% |
20 Years | 61-90 | 85.9% | 59.5% | 42.7% |
20 Years | 31-60 | 85.5% | 59.1% | 40.6% |
20 Years | 1-30 | 86.1% | 59.3% | 39.9% |
21 Years | 0-14 | 89.6% | 77.0% | 55.8% |
21 Years | 15-45 | 90.0% | 75.9% | 52.5% |
21 Years | 46-75 | 88.4% | 71.1% | 51.3% |
21 Years | 76-105 | 90.0% | 69.2% | 48.9% |
21 Years | 106-135 | 88.1% | 68.3% | 49.2% |
21 Years | 136-165 | 90.5% | 72.1% | 49.8% |
21 Years | 166-195 | 89.0% | 66.1% | 47.0% |
21 Years | 196-225 | 89.9% | 70.9% | 49.9% |
21 Years | 226-255 | 90.0% | 69.4% | 46.7% |
21 Years | 256-285 | 90.9% | 68.0% | 45.6% |
21 Years | 286-315 | 90.1% | 69.1% | 47.1% |
21 Years | 316-345 | 90.1% | 70.1% | 50.2% |
21 Years | 346-366 | 90.8% | 70.6% | 49.6% |
* Binge alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. |
Source: 2002 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Age | Days to/from 21st Birthday |
Lifetime Alcohol Use, % (SE) |
Past Month Alcohol Use, % (SE) |
Past Month Binge Alcohol Use, % (SE) |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 Years | 331-366 | 83.7% (1.16) | 57.4% (1.54) | 41.2% (1.51) |
20 Years | 301-330 | 80.5% (1.40) | 52.7% (1.62) | 38.1% (1.59) |
20 Years | 271-300 | 85.6% (1.16) | 57.4% (1.64) | 39.4% (1.63) |
20 Years | 241-270 | 83.4% (1.35) | 57.8% (1.67) | 39.2% (1.59) |
20 Years | 211-240 | 84.6% (1.18) | 56.7% (1.66) | 38.4% (1.57) |
20 Years | 181-210 | 85.8% (1.14) | 54.9% (1.66) | 38.2% (1.64) |
20 Years | 151-180 | 86.4% (1.11) | 58.1% (1.64) | 40.8% (1.66) |
20 Years | 121-150 | 84.7% (1.43) | 55.1% (1.78) | 39.4% (1.66) |
20 Years | 91-120 | 85.4% (1.16) | 56.2% (1.65) | 38.5% (1.56) |
20 Years | 61-90 | 85.9% (1.10) | 59.5% (1.61) | 42.7% (1.61) |
20 Years | 31-60 | 85.5% (1.20) | 59.1% (1.68) | 40.6% (1.65) |
20 Years | <31 | 86.1% (1.19) | 59.3% (1.55) | 39.9% (1.51) |
21 Years | <15 | 89.6% (1.59) | 77.0% (2.08) | 55.8% (2.29) |
21 Years | 15-45 | 90.0% (0.98) | 75.9% (1.37) | 52.5% (1.63) |
21 Years | 46-75 | 88.4% (1.18) | 71.1% (1.55) | 51.3% (1.66) |
21 Years | 76-105 | 90.0% (1.05) | 69.2% (1.57) | 48.9% (1.67) |
21 Years | 106-135 | 88.1% (1.17) | 68.3% (1.60) | 49.2% (1.61) |
21 Years | 136-165 | 90.5% (0.95) | 72.1% (1.47) | 49.8% (1.69) |
21 Years | 166-195 | 89.0% (1.07) | 66.1% (1.58) | 47.0% (1.63) |
21 Years | 196-225 | 89.9% (0.94) | 70.9% (1.54) | 49.9% (1.64) |
21 Years | 226-255 | 90.0% (1.00) | 69.4% (1.46) | 46.7% (1.55) |
21 Years | 256-285 | 90.9% (0.92) | 68.0% (1.54) | 45.6% (1.65) |
21 Years | 286-315 | 90.1% (0.94) | 69.1% (1.48) | 47.1% (1.65) |
21 Years | 316-345 | 90.1% (0.99) | 70.1% (1.53) | 50.2% (1.73) |
21 Years | 346-366 | 90.8% (1.21) | 70.6% (1.88) | 49.6% (2.06) |
SE = Standard error. |
* Binge alcohol use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. |
Source: 2002 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Similarly, the 21st birthday was associated with higher rates of past month binge alcohol use. This rate was 41.2 percent among 20 year olds who were surveyed 331 to 366 days before their 21st birthdays and approximately 40 percent for other 20 year olds. Binge drinking increased to 55.8 percent among 21 year olds who were surveyed on or within 14 days after their 21st birthdays, 52.5 percent among those who were surveyed 15 to 45 days after their 21st birthdays, and 51.3 percent among those who were surveyed 46 to 75 days after their 21st birthdays. The rate of past month binge drinking stabilized in the range of 45.6 to 50.2 percent among 21 year olds surveyed 76 or more days after their 21st birthdays.
The debate on lowering the legal drinking age is based partially on the belief that lowering it would not have a significant effect on the rate of drinking among young adults. The results in this report indicate that a large majority of 21 year olds initiated alcohol use before age 21, but the data also indicate that the occurrence of a person's 21st birthday results in higher rates of past month and binge alcohol use. The highest rates of past month and binge drinking occurred among 21 year olds who were surveyed on or within 14 days of their 21st birthdays; rates subsequently declined somewhat but remained higher than those found among 20 year olds. This suggests some celebratory drinking associated with the occasion, in addition to the attainment of legal drinking status. Given the association between alcohol use among young adults and negative consequences, such as car crashes and violent behavior, young adults who reach the legal drinking age are at increased risk for these negative consequences.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The combined 2002 to 2008 data used in this report are based on information obtained from 39,065 persons aged 20 or 21. The survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their place of residence. The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. (RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.) Information on the most recent NSDUH is available in the following publication: Office of Applied Studies. (2009). Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 09-4434, NSDUH Series H-36). Also available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. |
The NSDUH Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report or other reports from the Office of Applied Studies are available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. Citation of the source is appreciated. For questions about this report, please e-mail: shortreports@samhsa.hhs.gov.
NSDUH_138 |
This page was last updated on September 29, 2009. |
SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.
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