Youth drinking is declining – myths about the trend, busted

By Laura Fenton, University of Sheffield, Amy Pennay, La Trobe University, John Holmes, University of Sheffield

Alcohol consumption among younger generations has been declining for years. And with many pubs and cocktail bars now catering to the sober and “sober curious”, it’s easier than ever to opt out.

Starting in the US in the late 1990s, and spreading to several other wealthy countries in the early 2000s, young people began to drink less than previous generations, or avoid drinking alcohol altogether.

The proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds who report drinking alcohol in the last week fell from 67% in 2002 to 37% in 2021. The decline was even steeper for younger teens. In England, the proportion of 15-year-olds who have drunk alcohol in the past week fell from 52% to 20% between 2001 and 2021, although some of this may be due to changes in the survey methods over that period.

We have been researching the decline in youth drinking in England and Australia, using both surveys and interviews with young people.

When we present our findings to other researchers and the wider public, we find that adults are often surprised to hear that young people today drink less. In our experience, their reactions suggest a belief in outdated stereotypes of young people as irresponsible and feckless.

They also sometimes jump to incorrect conclusions about the reasons why young people are drinking less, projecting adults’ motives for abstaining onto young people.

Why are young people drinking less?

The reasons behind the decline are complex, but by analysing survey data and interviewing young people in England and Australia, we can provide some answers.

The change reflects a general trend in young people’s attitudes toward risk. From smoking to sex, young people – including those in early adolescence and in their early twenties – are generally more risk averse than previous generations.

This extends to where they choose to, or feel able to, spend time.

Read Full Story https://theconversation.com/youth-drinking-is-declining-myths-about-the-trend-busted-216948