A team of researchers from the U.S., Britain and New Zealand have found that teens who begin drinking or using drugs before age 15 are more likely to engage in risky behavior well into their 30s than are individuals who remained mostly sober until much later. The risk was prevalent regardless of the teens' backgrounds or family histories.

"The 'good kids,' who were without behavior problems as children and didn't have any of the family risk factors, but who began using drugs and alcohol before 15, ended up being 3.6 times more likely to be dependent on substances at age 32. They were also more likely than the other good kids to wind up with a criminal conviction and a herpes infection."

The study did not find the same results for kids who tried alcohol or drugs just once or twice. It was only the kids who were "invested" in a lifestyle of regular use that were at risk. Source: PsychCentral

Read more: Higher Risks in Early Drinkers

Labels: adults, consequences, early_drinkers