Why is alcohol use by teenagers considered risky?
Alcohol is a potent drug that depresses the central nervous system and changes the way people think and feel. Teenagers can be more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol because they have not built up physical tolerance. They also lack drinking experience and are less able to judge their own levels of intoxication. Most young people are smaller than adults and so alcohol can have a greater effect. There is some new evidence that developing minds and bodies may be more vulnerable to the negative effects of alcohol. The earlier a young person begins unsupervised drinking, the greater the risk of alcohol-related problems in later life.
