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Youth Alcohol Use

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Percent of Students Reporting Any Use of Alcohol in the Past 30 Days, All Available Years: by Grade, Race, Gender, and Region

199519982001200420072010
MaleFemaleTotalMaleFemaleTotalMaleFemaleTotalMaleFemaleTotalMaleFemaleTotalMaleFemaleTotal
Minnesota6thWhite4%2%3%10%7%9%7%4%5%5%4%4%4%3%3%4%2%3%
African-American or Black6%4%5%9%11%10%8%9%9%8%9%8%6%7%6%3%5%4%
Native American7%7%7%15%14%15%12%9%10%9%10%9%7%9%8%7%10%9%
Asian American/Pacific Islander4%2%3%9%5%7%7%5%6%4%5%5%4%3%4%3%2%3%
Hispanic/Latino10%7%9%13%15%14%10%12%11%8%11%10%8%9%9%6%8%7%
All Races Combined4%2%3%10%7%9%7%5%6%5%5%5%4%4%4%4%3%4%
9thWhite21%19%20%38%36%37%31%31%31%26%29%28%22%25%24%17%19%18%
African-American or Black19%19%19%36%30%33%26%27%26%23%26%25%24%25%24%17%17%17%
Native American30%29%29%44%46%45%39%44%41%33%42%38%30%42%37%30%32%31%
Asian American/Pacific Islander18%10%13%28%21%24%23%19%21%24%22%23%23%20%21%16%15%15%
Hispanic/Latino32%30%31%49%50%50%37%40%39%32%38%35%30%35%33%29%29%29%
All Races Combined21%19%20%38%36%37%30%30%30%26%29%28%23%25%24%18%20%19%
12thWhite43%33%38%59%52%55%56%50%53%51%48%50%51%48%49%44%41%42%
African-American or Black31%18%24%44%34%39%39%28%33%34%26%30%38%33%35%30%24%27%
Native American45%34%39%62%55%58%59%50%55%46%49%47%52%53%53%46%43%44%
Asian American/Pacific Islander20%16%18%38%28%32%39%26%32%37%31%34%39%32%36%30%24%27%
Hispanic/Latino44%31%37%53%49%51%55%43%49%48%38%43%48%42%45%44%37%40%
All Races Combined42%32%37%58%51%54%55%49%52%50%46%48%49%46%48%42%39%41%
All GradesWhite20%16%18%34%30%32%29%27%28%26%26%26%24%25%24%21%20%20%
African-American or Black15%12%13%24%21%23%20%18%19%18%19%19%19%19%19%15%14%14%
Native American19%17%18%31%30%30%27%26%27%22%27%24%23%28%26%21%22%22%
Asian American/Pacific Islander12%8%10%21%15%18%20%15%18%19%18%19%20%16%18%15%13%14%
Hispanic/Latino25%20%23%35%35%35%29%28%29%23%25%24%24%25%24%22%21%22%
All Races Combined19%16%18%32%29%31%28%26%27%25%25%25%23%23%23%20%20%20%
Metro6thWhite3%2%3%9%6%8%6%3%4%4%4%4%3%2%3%3%2%2%
African-American or Black5%3%4%8%10%10%8%9%9%7%9%8%5%7%6%4%6%5%
Native American6%7%6%13%12%13%13%8%10%7%10%9%6%9%7%6%7%7%
Asian American/Pacific Islander3%2%2%9%4%7%7%4%6%4%4%4%4%3%3%3%2%2%
Hispanic/Latino6%7%7%14%13%14%10%12%11%10%12%11%7%9%8%7%8%7%
All Races Combined4%2%3%9%7%8%6%5%5%5%5%5%4%4%4%4%3%3%
9thWhite20%19%19%36%34%35%28%29%28%25%28%26%20%24%22%15%18%16%
African-American or Black14%16%15%31%28%29%22%26%24%22%25%23%21%23%22%17%17%17%
Native American27%24%25%40%45%43%34%40%38%33%39%36%30%35%32%28%33%30%
Asian American/Pacific Islander14%8%10%26%18%22%20%18%19%22%21%21%23%20%21%16%15%15%
Hispanic/Latino29%27%28%47%46%47%39%39%39%30%39%35%30%35%33%30%29%30%
All Races Combined20%18%19%35%33%34%27%29%28%25%28%27%22%25%23%17%19%18%
12thWhite41%32%36%55%51%53%52%47%50%50%48%49%50%48%49%44%41%42%
African-American or Black26%18%22%39%33%36%34%27%30%33%24%29%35%32%34%29%23%26%
Native American40%32%36%57%52%54%56%39%47%48%42%45%55%49%52%47%53%49%
Asian American/Pacific Islander17%15%16%35%26%30%36%24%30%35%30%32%38%32%34%30%24%27%
Hispanic/Latino40%31%35%48%52%50%49%45%47%49%39%43%47%43%45%41%38%40%
All Races Combined39%30%34%54%49%51%50%44%47%48%45%47%49%46%47%41%38%40%
All GradesWhite18%15%17%30%28%29%26%25%25%25%25%25%23%24%23%19%20%20%
African-American or Black12%11%11%21%20%21%17%18%17%17%18%18%16%18%17%14%14%14%
Native American17%16%16%27%28%28%25%23%24%21%25%23%22%25%23%17%20%19%
Asian American/Pacific Islander9%7%8%20%14%17%18%14%16%18%17%17%19%16%17%15%13%14%
Hispanic/Latino21%19%20%34%34%34%28%29%29%23%27%25%23%24%24%22%22%22%
All Races Combined18%15%16%29%27%28%24%23%24%23%24%24%22%23%22%19%19%19%
Non-Metro6thWhite4%2%3%11%8%9%7%5%6%6%4%5%5%3%4%4%3%4%
African-American or Black18%8%12%12%13%12%9%10%10%12%6%9%11%6%9%3%3%3%
Native American7%7%7%18%16%17%11%10%11%10%10%10%9%9%9%8%12%10%
Asian American/Pacific Islander6%5%6%7%6%7%7%8%7%5%8%7%6%5%6%6%3%4%
Hispanic/Latino17%7%12%12%18%15%11%10%11%7%9%8%10%11%10%6%7%6%
All Races Combined4%2%3%11%9%10%8%6%7%6%5%6%6%4%5%5%4%4%
9thWhite21%20%21%40%38%39%33%32%33%28%31%29%24%26%25%19%20%20%
African-American or Black41%48%44%57%51%55%44%29%37%27%36%31%32%35%34%19%14%17%
Native American33%34%33%47%46%47%42%47%45%34%45%40%31%48%40%32%32%32%
Asian American/Pacific Islander29%18%23%35%31%33%33%25%29%31%27%29%22%22%22%16%16%16%
Hispanic/Latino36%35%35%51%58%54%35%41%38%35%37%36%30%36%33%29%30%29%
All Races Combined22%21%22%41%39%40%34%33%33%29%32%30%25%28%26%20%21%21%
12thWhite45%33%39%61%53%57%59%53%56%52%48%50%51%47%49%43%41%42%
African-American or Black53%14%38%63%40%58%53%41%49%41%36%39%48%37%43%38%30%35%
Native American48%35%42%66%58%62%62%60%61%43%55%50%50%57%53%46%39%43%
Asian American/Pacific Islander30%18%23%49%35%41%48%35%42%45%34%39%46%33%39%31%25%27%
Hispanic/Latino48%30%40%59%45%53%64%41%53%46%36%41%48%40%44%48%35%41%
All Races Combined45%33%39%61%53%57%59%52%55%51%48%49%50%47%49%43%40%42%
All GradesWhite21%17%19%36%32%34%32%29%31%28%28%28%26%25%25%22%21%21%
African-American or Black36%22%30%42%32%38%33%22%28%23%23%23%27%23%25%17%11%15%
Native American20%19%20%34%31%33%29%29%29%23%28%26%24%31%28%24%24%24%
Asian American/Pacific Islander19%13%16%26%22%24%28%21%24%26%22%24%22%18%20%16%14%15%
Hispanic/Latino31%21%26%37%37%37%30%27%29%24%23%23%25%26%25%22%21%22%
All Races Combined21%17%19%36%32%34%32%29%31%27%27%27%25%25%25%21%20%21%

About the Indicator: Alcohol is the most frequently used drug nationally and statewide and is associated with a number of adverse health consequences1.  Reported use of alcohol in the past 30 days is a common measure of recent alcohol use. In Minnesota, it is illegal for a person under age 21 to consume alcohol.  N/A indicates that the data are unavailable or were not collected.

In 2010, reported past-30 day alcohol use among 12th graders was slightly lower in Minnesota than the national average (rate ratio = 0.99:1.00).  State rates are from the Minnesota Student Survey (MSS); national rates are from Monitoring the Future (MTF).  For more national comparisons, click here State Epi Profile.

Counts by race/ethnicity may not equal the state total, as students were allowed to select all applicable categories.

1 Dawson DA, Grant BF, Li T-K.  “Quantifying the risks associated with exceeding recommended drinking limits.” Alcohol Clinical Experimental Research. 2005;29:902-908.


Data Source: Minnesota Student Survey (MSS)

Description: The MSS is a confidential and anonymous self-administered survey given to students attending Minnesota public, charter and tribal schools. From 1995 to 2010, the survey was administered to students in 6th, 9th, and 12th grades. New in 2013, the survey was administered to students in 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th grades. Trend data are now only available for 9th graders, and only for survey questions that did not change. Most schools elect to participate in the survey; in 2013, this included 84% of public schools in Minnesota.

Although the data are not presented here, the survey is also administered to area learning centers, juvenile correction facilities and private schools electing to participate.

Sponsored by: Minnesota Department of Education

Geographic Level: State, Region, and County

Aggregated data at the state and county level do not reveal disparities that may exist within a given geographic area.

Frequency: Data collected and reported every three years

Characteristics: The results of the MSS are also available at a county level. Data Privacy requirements mandate that data is presented in a manner such that no individual student can be identified through the presentation of the results. As part of the Data Privacy practices, the results are also presented in a manner that no individual school district could be identified through the results. Therefore, for counties that have only one school district, the results are not presented. Results are also withheld for counties in which the minimum number for student participation was not met.

The MSS is a “census” of schools, not a sample. The school districts get their own data. Fifth-graders were not asked all substance use questions. Some school districts do not participate, and student participation within the school district can vary widely. These data are self-reported.