Alcohol Use Among Youth in Oregon

In Oregon, fewer youth are drinking overall, but the risks from alcohol use still remain. Among youth currently using alcohol in Multnomah County, one-third (33.6%) of 8th graders and nearly half (49.2%) of 11th graders report binge drinking (five or more drinks at a time)1. Among youth who drink alcohol, alcopops are commonly used as a result of marketing tactics such as colorful packaging and viral social media campaigns that capture their attention

What Are Alcopops?

• Alcopops are sweet, flavored, soda-like alcoholic beverages that often mask the taste of alcohol.

• The colorful, eye-catching packaging of the products may increase their appeal to young people.

• Alcopops are found in various places accessible to youth, such as grocery stores, drug stores, gas stations and
convenience stores.

Why are Alcopops a Concern?

 

In Oregon, alcopops (hard seltzers or flavored malt beverages) are the alcoholic beverage2 most frequently consumed by teens aged 16-18. In 2025, 30% of 12th graders who had3 reported alcohol use consumed one of these in the past year.


Some Alcopops come in large, single-serving containers with high alcohol content, as much as 14%. One 24-ounce alcopop containing 14% alcohol is approximately equivalent to a six-pack of 12-ounce, 4.5% beer in total alcohol content, which can lead to severe intoxication.


In Oregon, we are seeing more Emergency Department (ED) and Urgent Care (UC) visits by youth ages 10-20 who have consumed Alcopops.4

“You can’t taste the alcohol, it’s ‘easier’ to get down and get drunk faster for less.”

An Oregon High School Student

Learn more about this issue here >>

Alcopops increase youth risk for alcohol use and poisoning. Learn more about this issue here >>

 

Sources and Notes

1Oregon Student Health Survey (2025), Oregon Health Authority. Available at:
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/birthdeathcertificates/surveys/pages/student-health-survey.aspx

2Oregon Health Authority. Unpublished OYSO data (2024). Contact information available at:
https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/diseasesconditions/chronicdisease/datareports/pages/oregon-youth-survey-online.aspx

3Miech, R. A., Patrick, M. E., O’Malley, P. M., Jager, J. O. and Jang, J. B. (2026). Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975–2025: Overview and detailed results for secondary school students. Monitoring the Future Monograph Series. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan:
https://monitoringthefuture.org/data/bx-by/drug-prevalence/#drug=%22Flavored+Alcoholic+Beverages%22

4 Researchers assessed the ESSENCE database that tracks Emergency Department/Urgent Care for a specific alcopop product that has recently featured in TikTok challenges and been acquired by an established spirits brand. Information on the ESSENCE database is available at: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/diseasesconditions/communicabledisease/preparednesssurveillanceepidemiology/ess
ence/pages/index.aspx

5 Anonymous, Oregon Youth Alcohol Use Survey, (2026)