From the early to mid-teens, alcohol use and misuse grows strongly in prevalence. By Grade 8 (13–14 years of age), 36.6% of Americans have consumed alcohol and 17.4% report ever being intoxicated [1]. At 12th Grade (18–19 years), 72.3% of Americans have consumed alcohol and 56.5% report ever being intoxicated [1]. In Australia, rates of alcohol use and misuse may be higher for adolescents than in the United States [2]. Among 12–15 year old Australian students, 83% have ever consumed alcohol and 5% have engaged in recent (past week) heavy episodic drinking (7+ standard drinks for males and 5+ drinks for females per occasion). Among 16–17 year olds, 95% of students have ever consumed alcohol, and 40–44% of current drinkers report heavy episodic drinking in the previous week [3]. Furthermore, there is evidence that boys and girls differ in the age of onset and growth in alcohol use over time. Girls show less alcohol involvement than boys during the pre- and early teens, but their alcohol involvement increases more strongly than boys over subsequent teenage years [4].
