How Many Teens Are Drinking?
According to the poll, 30% of U.S. teens say they “have occasion to use alcoholic beverages,” while 70% say they do not. The data reveal some interesting differences according to age and gender. As age increases in the teen years, so does the likelihood of alcohol consumption. In the 2003 survey, 42% of teens aged 16 to 17 report using alcohol, compared to just 22% of teens aged 13 to 15. The significant increase among older teens may reflect increased peer pressure within this age group to drink. The stereotype that teen boys are wilder and more likely to drink than teen girls is not borne out in these data; in fact, teen girls are somewhat more likely than teen boys to say they drink (33% to 26%, respectively). This statistic has significant health consequences, as the Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free reports that girls aged 12 to 16 who drink are six times more likely than girls who don’t drink to suffer from depression. How Are Teens Affected by Alcohol Use in Their Familie
