WebMD Medical News Laura J. Martin, MD Feb. 17, 2011 -- Almost
6% of young people between the ages of 12 and 14 drank alcohol
in the past month, and close to half of them got it at home or
from family members, a study shows. Young people who drink
before they are 15 are six times more likely to experience
problems with alcohol later in life, according to the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
According to the new study by SAMHSA: “People who begin drinking
alcohol before the age of 15 are six times more likely than
those who start at age 21 and older to develop alcohol
problems,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, JD, says in a
news release. “Parents and other adults need to be aware that
providing alcohol to children can expose them to an increased
risk for alcohol abuse and set them on a path with increased
potential for addiction.” The new report, “SAMHSA Data
Spotlight: Young Alcohol Users Often Get Alcohol from Family or
Home,” is based on combined data from the agency’