Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs
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J Stud Alcohol Drugs · Mar 2015
The prospective association between sipping alcohol by the sixth grade and later substance use.
Although there is a clear association between early use of alcohol and short- and long-term adverse outcomes, it is unclear whether consumption of minor amounts of alcohol (less than a full drink) at a young age is prognostic of risk behaviors in later adolescence. ⋯ Our findings that early sipping is associated with elevated odds of risky behaviors at high school entry dispute the idea of sipping as a protective factor. Offering even just a sip of alcohol may undermine messages about the unacceptability of alcohol consumption for youth.