A report published online in the January 2009 issue of Addiction highlights a new phenomenon among young drinkers called "pre-drinking." Pre-drinking is the act of gathering in a private setting (usually someone's home) to drink heavily before going to a public place like a club or sporting event. Pre-drinking is intended to allow young people to get drunk as cheaply as possible and to maximize fun during public outings.

The authors of the report question whether current alcohol policy (banning happy hours at bars, for instance) is reinforcing this behavior and a "new culture of intoxication" in which young people drink with the singular goal of getting drunk. The authors of the report found that pre-drinkers were more likely to ingest large quantities of alcohol more rapidly, and to experience negative outcomes in association with drinking. (Source: sciencedaily.com)

Labels: underage_drinking, pre-drinking, binge_drinking

Posted By: Aspen Education Group