For years, there was concern about alcohol use among teens and young adults, but now a new study finds many may be shying away from drinking.

A new study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics finds that college-age Americans are drinking less alcohol than nearly two decades ago.

The study found between 2002 and 2018, the number of adults age 18 to 22 in the United States who chose not to drink alcohol increased from 20% to 28% for those in college. For those not in school, the percentage was 30%.

Further down in the study shows that while 18- to 22-year-olds are abstaining from alcohol, they are choosing to co-mix alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.

"You know, kids are creative, if there's a reason they can't drink, they're going to find another way to get high or wasted," said Marge Lee, of the group DEDICATEDD.

The study said U.S. policymakers must "find ways to address the changing landscape of substance use behaviors." Lee says parents must also education themselves.

"Go to the web, sometimes the web is very helpful. Google the signs of drug overdose," said Lee. "If they're mixing drugs and they have no clue, and a lot of kids mistakenly think if it's over the counter, a Benadryl or some kind of allergy drug, that it's not dangerous. It's very dangerous."