Teen drinking continues to decline, a new national survey revealed this week, however alcohol has not slipped from its position as the most used substance among youngsters.
According to MSN News, the percentage of Americans aged 12 to 20 who reported drinking within the past month fell to 23 percent in 2013, the most recent year in which data was collected by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
"There are still 8.7 million current, underage drinkers and 5.4 million current, underage binge drinkers. This poses a serious risk not only to their health and to their future, but to the safety and well-being of others," said Frances Harding, director of SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
The teen drinking rate declined after 2002, when it stood at 29 percent.
Additionally, the age group reported that the instances in which they consume five or more drinks in one bout — which amounts to binge drinking — declined from 19 percent to 14 percent during that same 11-year period.
The national survey, which queried 67,500 Americans in the 12 to 20 age group, also found that 17 percent of teens reported using tobacco in the past month, and 14 percent used illicit drugs.
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