As the saying goes, a few sips of brandy or wine can do no harm. It was also believed by some Europeans that giving alcohol to children will, make them responsible drinkers in adulthood. 

But recent studies have revealed just the opposite. Giving alcohol to children may result in them becoming heavier drinkers in later life. The study states, alcohol may bring about certain changes in the brain of a child leading to an urge to drink and in teenagers alcohol can be related to pleasure and euphoria.

In a study carried out by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a certain number of people were divided into groups of those who drank under the age of 15, between 15 and 17 and 18 or over. 

The conclusion was alarming” a first taste of alcohol before the age of 15 sharply raises the risk of alcohol dependency in later life”. Doctors, on the basis of the study suggest that waiting until one is 18 to try alcohol is a sure sign of a stable drinker in later life.

NIAAA researcher Dedorah Dawson told the Sunday Times ‘We can see for the first time the association between early” age of first drink” and increased risk of alcohol use disorders that persist into adulthood’. 

Other studies state ‘damage to developing brain may also cause memory problems in the years to come ‘With Britain suffering from an epidemic of excessive drinking, where one out of every 15 year old is drinking almost a bottle of wine in a week, one out of eight 12 year old is drinking the same amount, remedies have to be sought, because all this is resulting in 4,300 teenage pregnancies and 11,500 expulsions from school. Let us all pledge to take preventive measures based on the study.