OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence and risks factors of alcohol consumption (AC) in young poor people with public health insurance (PHI) in a region of Colombia in 2014.  METHODS: A questionnaire was designed and applied to young people between 10-24 years to collect information regarding AC and other sociodemographic characteristics. A sample of 10.677 young people with PHI was extracted from a simple random sampling. Risks factors of AC were identified. Fishers Xtest was used to estimate statistical significance. RESULTS: The prevalence of AC more than once a week in young man (YM) is 5,3% (CI 4.7-6.1%) and in young women (YW) 1,3% (CI95% 1.0-1.6). The mean age of both groups is 20 years (SD± 2,8). The prevalence of AC in young people >18 years is 6.5% (CI95% 5.8-7.4) while in people <18 years is 1.0% (CI95% 0.8-1.3). Risks factors of AC more than once a week in YM and YW are; having a job, being older than 18 years, having suicidal behaviors and having bad relationships with parents. The probabilities of these risks factors are greater in YM than in YW. Being a YM and having a job increase the probability of AC more than once a week in 1.48 times (p=0.002) in contrast with YW who are currently working. Likewise, YM >18 years drink alcohol 13.61 (p=0.000) times more than YW>18. YM with suicidal behavior drink alcohol 2,73 (p=0.002) times more than YW and YM who have bad relationships with parents drink alcohol 3.47 (p=0.000) times more than YW. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that drinking alcohol is illegal in Colombia in people under age (<18 years), results show the efforts done in terms of regulatory policies to control the prevalence of AC in young people under age. The acknowledgement of risks factors of AC can improve the effectiveness of its public policies.