Alcohol is one of the most commonly misused substances in the United States among youth and adults. Excessive alcohol use has harmful effects on the people who drink and those around them and is a leading preventable cause of death. Policies that make alcohol less accessible, especially for youth, can prevent excessive drinking and related harms.
Why It Matters
New Hampshire has the highest per capita alcohol consumption in the United States, and the 12th-highest rate of alcohol-attributable deaths. Young people are at greater risk of alcohol-related harms than adults and nearly 10 percent of teens aged 12-17 reported trying alcohol in the past month. Despite the harms, new alcoholic beverages have emerged in the last few years that share branding with popular children's products, like Sunny D Vodka Seltzers and Hard Mountain Dew. These products are unnecessarily attractive to youth.
By the Numbers
1 in 5
deaths among U.S. adults aged 20-49 is linked to excessive alcohol use. Notably, New Hampshire ranks 12th in alcohol-related deaths in this demographic, according to 2022 CDC data.
13,682
teens in 2021 reported they had ridden in a car with a driver who had been drinking alcohol (2021, Youth Risk Behavior Survey)
90%
of alcohol consumption by teens is through binge drinking.
(National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Our Impact
New Futures has advocated for policies that limit youth access to alcohol and minimize alcohol advertising in New Hampshire, including prohibiting billboard advertising by alcohol companies. During the pandemic, New Futures was instrumental in defeating legislation that would have allowed restaurants to serve cocktails "to-go," which could have increased drinking and driving and made hard alcohol more accessible for children.
New Futures routinely champions legislation to regulate high-risk emerging products, like Four Loko, Alco-pops, and products with increased alcohol percentages. In 2024, New Futures championed legislation that would have prohibited packaging that is attractive to youth in New Hampshire, including packaging that shares branding with popular children's products.
