Binge drinking rises sharply among gen Z in their early 20s

Increased binge drinking and drug use among people in their 20s is a cause for concern, analysts say. Photograph: DisobeyArt/Alamy

Binge drinking rates among gen Z have risen sharply since their teenage years, according to research that challenges their reputation as “generation sensible”.

Almost seven in 10 (68%) 23-year-olds reported binge drinking in the past year, while nearly a third (29%) said they did so at least monthly, up from 10% at age 17.