Washington State In The Middle For Underage Drinking Rates
U.S. report: Montana, Oregon in top tier for underage drinking
A survey by the U.S. government on drug use and health shows that from 2008 through 2010, both Oregon and Montana ranked in the top quintile nationally in self-reported underage use of alcohol as a percent of state population age 12 to 20. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health over those three years interviewed 93,700 representative respondents aged 12-20, in their homes across the U.S. to develop projected statewide rates. The resulting report, “State Estimates of Underage Alcohol Use and Self-Purchase of Alcohol: 2008 to 2010,” showed that nationwide on average 26.6 percent of the respondents – all under the legal drinking age of 21 in all 50 state – reported having drank alcohol in the last 30 days. Among the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Montana ranked fourth at 34.84 percent and Oregon seventh at 32.15 percent. More than in any other state except one, Oregon underage drinkers are not themselves purchasing the alcohol they drink, according to the report; only 2.57 percent did so.
In the NSDUH survey results, states with the highest percent of pre-drinking-age drinkers were almost entirely in the northern tier of the U.S. They were Vermont (37%), New Hampshire (35.68%), North Dakota (35.35%), Montana (34.84%), Rhode Island (33.95%), Colorado (32.65%), Oregon (32.15%), Connecticut (32.13), Massachusetts (31.86), and New York (31.63%). States with lowest percentages of underage drinkers were Utah (14.28%), Tennessee (20.5%), Alabama (21.96%), Indiana (22.52%), Arkansas (22.74%), and North Carolina (22.95%). Washington state was in the middle of the pack, at 25.71 percent.
The survey is done for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. According to the Executive Summary of a 2011 report to Congress by SAMHSA, underage drinking is a factor in the deaths of approximately 4,700 youths in the U.S. each year. For those younger than 21 it contributes to motor vehicle accidents, violent crime, unintentional injuries, brain impairment, alcohol poisoning, risky sexual activity, alcohol dependence, and academic problems. The 2011 SAMHSA report to Congress says underage drinking is most likely to occur in someone’s else home, followed by one’s own home and that on college campuses – where there are a mix of students who are of and below legal drinking age – 82 percent of students drink and 40 percent report having five or more drinks on an occasion in the last two weeks.
Because the recent NSDUH survey data is statewide it doesn’t pinpoint underage drinking problem spots such as specific college campuses. Although as a state Washington does not currently rank high in overall underage drinking, one of a number of schools across the nation grappling with the problems of excessive alcohol consumption by students is Washington State University in Pullman.
In a tragic incident in late October 18-year-old WSU freshman Kenny Hummel died of alcohol poisoning with a blood-alcohol level of .40, considerably higher than the legal limit of .08. The Spokane Spokesman-Review reported caffeine-intensive energy drinks also appear to have played a part in his death. Additionally, at WSU this school year four students have fallen from buildings in incidents that police say in all but instance appear to have been connected to alcohol, the Seattle Times reported
