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

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

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. According to the YRBS results in Vermont, the percent of students who reported drinking in the previous month decreased from 57 percent in 1995 to 48 percent in 2001 to 44 percent in 2003, which is the lowest rate in the previous ten years. Binge drinking, which has also been decreasing in the last few years from 29 percent in 2001 to 26 percent in 2003, six percent lower than in 1999 and also lower than the previous ten years.

Males were slightly more likely than females to be current drinkers (44 percent versus 43 percent). Male students were also more likely than females to binge drink (28 percent of male students reported binge drinking compared to 25 percent of females).

Compared to White students, students reporting as “other ethnic groups” had the highest rates of alcohol use. Among non-White students, 50 percent reported using alcohol in the past 30 days, and 33 percent reported binge drinking (consuming 5 or more drinks on one occasion). Among White students 43 percent reported using alcohol in the past 30 days and 26 percent reported binge drinking.

(Data on lifetime use, Hispanic, and African American breakdowns of underage drinking rates in Vermont was not available.)

Source: Vermont 2003 YRBS Results. http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/yrbss/SelQuestyear.asp?cat=3&desc=Alcohol%20and%20Other%20Drug%20Use&loc=VT.

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
  
• Massachusetts: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq45.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

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