www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Most alcoholics start drinking during their teen years, but the disease can also strike those who begin using alcohol at a younger age — and the problem often goes unrecognized, experts say.
The underage-drinking rate in the U.S. has remained steady in recent years, but some research indicates that youths are starting to drink at a younger age. One study, from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, concluded that about 10 percent of nine-year-olds had consumed more than a sip of alcohol. And research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism indicates that children who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to have drinking problems than those who start drinking at age 21 or later. (Source: Join Together, 7/26/09)