Today’s teens are drinking less than their parents did. According to the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future study, teen drinking has been on the decline since the ‘90s. In 1997, 75% of 12th graders reported drinking, compared to 41% of 12th graders in 2025. Those numbers naturally dip even lower among younger grade levels, reaching record levels among 8th and 10th graders. And while the dip in underage drinking certainly isn’t a bad thing, some researchers say the trend signals that teens are being less social overall. (Though, maybe rebellious and social aren’t the same thing?) From social shifts of teens hanging out mostly online to body optimization goals and romanticizing affordability, experimenting with drinking and other substances are low on teens’ list of priorities. (Axios)
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