Early drinking has been linked to later alcoholism risks
When kids are introduced to alcohol before age 18 (early drinking), dangerous consequences can occur. A recent study by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network reported in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research reported the following findings:
- Researchers have known that age of first drink (AFD) is associated with the later development of alcohol-use disorders (AUDs).
- New findings show that an early AFD, before the age of 15, is especially risky for later AUDs.
Experts agree that the onset of drinking behavior should be delayed as last as possible, until 18 years or older. The study warns parents against early drinking and to keep alcohol away from their children as it can lead to struggles with alcoholism later in life. However, some parents believe that teaching a child the responsible approach to drinking will help them develop more cognitive abilities to manage their alcohol use. This is a mistake. According to researchers, youths that drink prior to turning 18 have greater odds of becoming alcoholics. Interesting, it doesn’t take large amounts of alcohol to impact a young brain. In fact, a small amount actually primes the brain to get more enjoyment from alcohol. (attcnetwork.org)
Deborah Dawson, study author at The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that, “some early drinkers become alcohol dependent while still in their teens, a time when those who have not yet started drinking are not even at risk of becoming dependent. By looking at adult-onset dependence, we can see for the first time that the association between early AFD and increased AUD risk … is not time limited, but rather persists into adulthood.”
WHO (The World Health Organization) indicates that the older a person is when they take their first drink, the less likely they are to develop full-blown drinking disorders later in life. Also, most doctors agree that individuals should not drink until age 25 or after (the age at which the brain has fully matured). Further, most doctors also believe that no one under the age of 16 should be given alcohol under any circumstance.
It can be concluded from these findings that early drinking is definitely linked to later alcoholism risks and disorders as well as dangerous consequences.