SAMHSA: Teen binge drinking down since 2010

About 14% of 12-20 year olds reported binge drinking in 2012-2014, down from 16% in 2010-2012, according to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. State-level estimates for 2012-2014 ranged from 11% in Utah to 21% in North Dakota, based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey defines binge drinking as having five or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. “Alcohol use continues to be a serious public health issue for young people, their families and communities,” said Frances Harding, director of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. “We’ve made plenty of progress through prevention efforts, yet the work still needs to continue.”