Study Shows Link Between Early Alcohol Exposure and Adult Heavy Drinking

A new study from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is described in this article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7641312.stm

Excerpts from the article:

• The NIAAA found drinking before the age of 15 increased a child's risk of becoming a heavy drinker.
• A teenager's fast-developing brain becomes programmed to link alcohol with pleasure, experts believe.
• Research shows that by the age of seven most children will have tasted alcohol.
• Research also shows the likelihood of developing alcohol-use disorders in adulthood is about 50% higher for people who start drinking before the age of 15 as for those who abstain until they are 18 or older.
• "The data support the notion of delaying the onset of drinking behavior as late as possible."

Question for campuses:
How might this potentially impact your alcohol programming and interventions on campus?

-posted by Tad Spencer