Northeast > Resources > Toic Specific > Underage Drinking > Underage drinking in Maine

What does recent research data show about underage drinking in Maine?

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and conducted by States’ Departments of Education (not all states conducted the YRBS), surveys high school students throughout the nation on topics relating to risky behaviors. In Maine, the YRBS results showed a decline in underage alcohol in the last few years. The 2003 Maine YRBS showed that 42 percent of students had at least one drink of alcohol in the previous month, compared to 48 percent in 2001, 52 percent in 1995 and 51 percent in 1997. The percent of students who reported binge drinking (consuming 5 or more drinks in one occasion) declined from 34 percent in 1997 to 32 percent in 2001 to 27 percent in 2003. The 2003 Maine YRBS also showed that 38 percent of middle school students had consumed more that a few sips of alcohol in their lifetime, compared to 42 percent in 2001.

In 2003, 21 percent of high school students reported having their first drink of alcohol before the age of 13. Male high school students were more likely to report first drinking alcohol before the age of 13 than female high school students (24 percent versus 17 percent). Female students in Maine were more likely to have a drink in the previous month than male students (50 percent versus 48 percent).¹ Males in the 12th grade were most likely to report binge drinking (45 percent) than females. To determine ethnic differences in underage drinking, Maine’s 2001 YRBS compared White students to all other members of ethnic groups. Results indicated that members of other ethnic groups were more likely than their White peers to report current drinking (59 percent versus 48 percent) and binge drinking (37 percent versus 32 percent).²

Source: Maine 2003 YRBS Results www.mainecshp.com/survey.html.

¹ Data according to gender and alcohol consumption in the past 30 days for 2003 is not available
² Data according to ethnic categories for 2003 not available

Other Related Resources:

• National underage drinking trends: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq53.cfm

• National underage drinking rate differences by geography, ethnicity, gender and age: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq52.cfm

Underage drinking rates by State:

• Connecticut: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq41.cfm
  
• Delaware: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq42.cfm
  
• Maryland: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq44.cfm
  
• Massachusetts: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq45.cfm
  
• New Hampshire: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq46.cfm
  
• New Jersey: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq47.cfm
  
• New York: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq48.cfm
  
• Pennsylvania: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq49.cfm
  
• Rhode Island: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq50.cfm
  
• Vermont: http://captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq51.cfm

Please contact the Northeast CAPT at capt@edc.org for more information.