Northeast > Resources > Topic Specific > Underage Drinking > Underage drinking in Massachusetts

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

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. The Massachusetts YRBS shows that lifetime use of alcohol among high school students had been increasing from 1993 through 2001, while binge drinking rates have remained stable. However, in 2003 Massachusetts had significant decreases in almost all measures of alcohol use. In 2001, 81 percent of students reported consuming at least one drink in their lifetime, compared to 75 percent in 2003. In 2001, 53 percent of students reported consuming alcohol in the past 30 days, the same as in 1995 and 1997 and slightly higher than in 1999. However, in 2003 students reported a decrease in alcohol consumption in the previous 30 days (46 percent). 33 percent of students reported binge drinking in 2001, compared to 27 percent in 2003.

With the exception of lifetime use, in 2001 drinking rates for male students were higher than among female students: 82 percent of females and 81 percent of males reported lifetime use, 54 percent of males and 52 percent of females reported current use, and 36 percent of males and 29 percent of females reported binge drinking.

Students of other and multiple ethnic groups were more likely to consume alcohol compared to Hispanic students, White students, African American students, and Asian students. Among members of other and multiple ethnic groups, 78 percent reported lifetime use, 50 percent reported current use, and 30 percent reported binge drinking. Among Hispanic students 77 percent reported lifetime use, 42 percent reported current use, and 24 percent reported binge drinking. Among Caucasians, 76 percent reported lifetime use, 47 percent reported current use, and 29 percent reported binge drinking. Among African American students, 66 percent reported lifetime use, 37 percent reported current use, and 15 percent reported binge drinking. Finally among Asian students, 60 percent reported lifetime use, 28 percent reported current use, and 16 percent reported binge drinking.

Source: 2003 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Summary of Results. http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/yrbs/03/results.pdf

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://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq41.cfm
  
• Delaware: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq42.cfm
  
• Maine: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq43.cfm
  
• Maryland: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq44.cfm
  
• New Hampshire: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq46.cfm
  
• New Jersey: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq47.cfm
  
• New York: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq48.cfm
  
• Pennsylvania: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq49.cfm
  
• Rhode Island: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq50.cfm
  
• Vermont: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq51.cfm

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