Young teens drinking
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From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.
Kids ages 12 to 14 are way too young to drink. But national survey data say about 6 percent reported drinking in the past month.
Well, it's pretty clear they're probably not passing for 21 at a bar, so where do they get the alcohol? The survey for HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides some insights. Researcher Peter Delany:
``Ninety-three percent of the kids got the alcohol for free. About 45 percent were getting it from home. Either a parent or guardian gave it to them, or another relative gave it to them, or they were taking it.'' (11 seconds)
Delany says younger drinkers are more likely to grow up to be problem drinkers. He says parents should start talking with their kids long before they start drinking - and keep having those talks.
Learn more at hhs.gov.
HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.