Binge drinking is increasing in young people. While alcohol consumption in general has declined about 2.5% over the past 20 years the rates of binge drinking in youth have jumped. Kids are taking up drinking at increasingly earlier ages which has caused the OECD to categorize it as a “major public health and social concern.” Dangerous alcohol consumption by young people is now responsible for more deaths than HIV, AIDS, violence and tuberculosis combined. Among boys alcohol consumption has risen from 30% to 43% and among girls it’s increased from 26% to 41%.
