Comparison of age of first drink and age of first intoxication as predictors of substance use and mental health problems in adulthood

The age of first alcohol drinking (AFD) has traditionally been regarded as an important metric when considering alcohol-related harm in populations (Grant and Dawson, 1997; Schuckit and Russell, 1983). Delaying AFD has been put forward as a public health strategy both to help reduce the harms from alcohol exposure in adolescence and to lower the incidence of later alcohol use disorder (AUD) (Donaldson, 2009; Health and Council, 2009; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Surgeon General, 2007).
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - Category: Addiction Authors: Tags: Full length article Source Type: research