Our results show that symptoms of AAD are already reported by adolescents. In 15–17 year olds, 15.8% of men and 9% of women reported one or more symptoms. These percentages are not surprising given the high frequency of alcohol consuming adolescents in the Netherlands. Although according to Dutch legislation people have to be aged 16 or older to buy beer and wine and 18 or older for spirits/hard liquor, the rate of ‘success’ for obtaining these substances under the age of 16/18 is estimated at 85%. Three in four adolescents report to have consumed alcohol in the last month at least once and a substantial group even more than 10 times (23% of male, 10% of female alcohol-consuming adolescents) (Trimbos Instituut 2010).
