Great News for Our Kids: Underage Drinking Rates Decline Again!

It’s a new year and we are thrilled to share some encouraging news about youth health and well-being. The newly released 2025 Monitoring the Future Report shows underage drinking rates have declined for the fifth year in a row, and most teens continue to say “NO” to using cannabis, too. While this continued success is something to celebrate, as parents and educators we have more work to do in the new year to keep our kids safe and substance free.

Your commitment to helping young people choose a healthy lifestyle makes a real difference. By empowering kids to say “YES” to positive choices and “NO” to underage drinking and underage cannabis use, you play a vital role in sustaining these trends.

Highlights on underage drinking rates from the 2025 Monitoring the Future Report that you can use in a conversation with your kids:

83%	A record high, 83% of 8th graders report they have never consumed alcohol – a 26% proportional decline in lifetime consumption over the past ten years!
Only 4%	Only 4% of 8th graders report drinking alcohol currently – another steady decline and a new record low.
82%	In the last ten years, 8th‑grade binge drinking has seen an 82% proportional decline, and in 2025, less than 1% of students reported engaging in this risky behavior.
11%	All time low – about one in ten 8th graders report consuming alcohol in the past year.
87%	Eighty-seven percent of 8th graders reported they have never used cannabis in their lifetime. Lifetime use of cannabis has declined about 2% proportionally over the past 10 years.
8%	In the past 12 months, nearly 8% of students in 8th grade said they had used cannabis. While this behavior has decreased 19% proportionally over the past decade, it remains far too high.

Sharing data about the decline in underage drinking rates like this can be a powerful way to start conversations about the risks of drinking and reinforce that most teens are making healthy choices.

To support you in these efforts, we’ve created a new Kahoot!  based on insights from the 2025 Monitoring the Future survey. It’s a fun, interactive way to engage kids, spark meaningful dialogue, and keep the momentum going.

We are proud of our commitment to work with you and support your efforts to empower kids to say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle. Thank you and keep up the great work in 2026!