Why do the guidelines advise that not drinking alcohol is the safest option for children and young people under age 18?
The risks of accidents, injuries, violence and self-harm are high among drinkers aged under 18 years. Young people who drink are more prone to risky and antisocial behaviour than older drinkers. Earlier initiation of drinking is related to increased alcohol consumption in adolescence and young adulthood, and these patterns in turn are related to the possibility of damage to the developing brain and development of alcohol related harms in adulthood.
