Though the drinking age in the U.S. has been 21 for nearly
three decades, many states have exceptions for alcohol consumption by minors, often when
in the company of a family member. So while it’s not outlandish that tweens and
teens have sipped alcohol before their 21
st birthdays, it does come
as a surprise that one-third of third graders surveyed in a new study
have tasted beer, wine or liquor.
Researchers studied 1,050 mothers and their third-grade kids
to see if children were being purposefully introduced to alcohol at a young
age, and, if so, to find out why. They discovered that one in four mothers
believe that allowing kids to taste alcoholic beverages when they're young will
discourage them from drinking recklessly as tweens and teens.
According to The
Huffington Post, however, these parents couldn’t be more wrong. Past
studies have found that fifth-graders who were allowed to have alcohol by their
parents are twice as likely to report recent alcohol use in seventh grade, and
those who begin drinking before age 15 are six times more likely to develop
problems with alcohol than those who start drinking at 21. Yikes!
What do you think of
this study, babe? Do your parents let you sip from their drinks at home?
BY BRITTANY TAYLOR ON 9/24/2012 5:27:00 PM
POSTED IN health, drugs & alcohol, addiction, In the News