TEENS ARE MORE LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN BINGE DRINKING THAN ADULTS
When teens engage in drinking behavior, approximately 90% of the alcohol they drink is consumed during a binge-drinking episode. This means teens are much more likely to engage in binge drinking than adult drinkers. A binge is defined as drinking enough alcohol within a short period of time (usually about two hours) so that blood-alcohol concentration reaches the .08 g/dL. For younger adolescents (ages 12 to 13), three drinks is enough to be defined as a binge. For 14- to 15-year-olds, four drinks is defined as a binge, and for teens 16 to 17, five drinks is typically a binge. [1]
TEENS WHO USE ALCOHOL ARE MORE LIKELY TO BECOME ALCOHOL DEPENDENT
Teens who start drinking before age 15 years are 5 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or after the legal age of 21. [2]
MOST PARENTS DON'T THINK THEIR CHILD BINGE DRINKS
1 in 6 teens binge drinks, yet only 1 in 100 parents believe his or her teen binge drinks. [3]
[1] The Right Step Editorial Team. "5 Surprising Facts About Underage Drinking." The Right Step, 5 January 2021, www.rightstep.com/rehab-blog/5-surprising-facts-about-underage-drinking/
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Editorial Team. "Fact Sheets - Underage Drinking." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 January 2021, www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/underage-drinking.htm
[3] Talk It Out Editorial Team. "For Tweens, Alcohol is Already a Fact of Life." Talk It Out, 5 January 2021, www.talkitoutnc.org/underage-drinking-facts/