Study: Kids Who Try Alcohol Early More Likely To Abuse It

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It has always been a hot topic: kids and alcohol. So, should you let them try a sip, or not?

A new long-term study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that kids who had sipped alcohol were more likely to start drinking earlier and abuse alcohol.

The researchers found those who tried an alcoholic beverage by sixth grade were five times more likely than other kids to consume an entire drink by the time they reached high school. They're also four times more likely to binge drink.

At the beginning of sixth grade, around age 11, almost 30 percent of students said they'd already sipped alcohol at some point.