Among Maryland students, current alcohol use declined in all grade levels between the years 1994 and 2002. The decline was marked among 6th and 8th graders, who reported half as much alcohol use in 2002 as they reported in 1994. Alcohol-related school suspensions reached a high during the 1997-98 school year, reaching 968, but declined each consecutive year to reach 713 during school year 2001-2002, representing a 26-percent decrease. Juvenile arrests for liquor law violations decreased 25 percent between 1998 and 2001 while juvenile DUI arrests increased 79 percent during the same period. Underage drinkers admitted to substance abuse treatment programs increased 17 percent between 1999 and 2002, reaching 7,448 youth in 2002. There was only one alcohol-related death reported for a juvenile between 1997 and 2002. Figures, table, notes, sources