Health Information - Drinking Early May Cause Health Problems Later for Teens

Drinking Early May Cause Health Problems Later for Teens

The University of California Irvine has released new information on teen drinking and the long term effects of drinking before the age of 15. The study, with more than 1,000 participants, followed a set of 3 year olds for 30 years.

Researchers noticed the effect of early alcohol drinking in the members of the study group 29 years into the study. The members who had used alcohol before the age of 15 were more likely to report physical problems later in life. The teens were 2 to 3 times more likely to suffer from substance dependence, STDs, failure in school or school. dropout or participating in criminal activity.

Females in the study group had the added effect of increased pregnancy numbers in participants who used alcohol or drugs under the age of 15.

While the research found most teenagers using alcohol as their first drug of choice, several illicit drugs were used and the bigger the variety, the more pronounced the effect on health later in life.

Researchers also found a link between behavioral problems early in life and criminal activity as adults. Children who presented with behavioral problems and used drugs or alcohol before the age of 15 were more likely to fail in school or be convicted of a crime.

Half of the study group exposed to drugs and alcohol before the age of 15 had no previous behavioral problems, with changes in behavior only occurring after the use of drugs and alcohol.