A recent report is coming out showcasing something that I thought people already knew: that drinking alcohol at an early age can lead to increased alcohol dependence when older.

You can read about the story at Science Daily.

This study and previous work has shown many people studied who had started drinking before age 17 were alcohol dependent.

This could partially be from the decrease in the legal drinking ages for some countries youth.

This is a long-term significant consequence of heavy underage drinking. When you’d young, drinking is fun and cool and a way to relax or be wild. We don’t think that the weekend partying could lead to week night partying, and also could lead to sneaking booze in your soda bottles in class just to keep awake.

If not under control, drinking too much can cause alcoholism, which is a serious disease affecting millions of people. You can never be cured of it; you would be an alcoholic for life.

When partying, be safe. Drink in moderation. And be aware of your body. If you sense that you are relying on alcohol a bit too much, seek some help right away.