Adolescent rats consume more ethanol than adults (Doremus et al. 2005). Indeed, adolescents have been shown to consume two to three times more ethanol than adults relative to body weight (Lancaster et al. 1996). Some variation in adolescent ethanol self-administration has been found in consumption which may reflect methodological differences. When consumption is examined in a 24-h continuous access paradigm, adolescents exhibit a greater increase in ethanol licking behavior over a 4-week period, compared to adults (Bell et al. 2006). However, when voluntary ethanol self-administration is examined, adolescents consumed significantly more ethanol when measured as g/kg body weight (Vetter et al. 2007). When the consumption off the floor paradigm is used, adolescents show high levels of consumption that decrease gradually into adulthood (Truxell et al. 2007). Overall, adolescents consume more ethanol than adults; this difference is particularly evident when consumption is calculated relative to body weight rather than proportion of overall consumption (Nance 1983). Complicating interpretation of these results, rates of ethanol metabolism vary with age. Adolescents have been observed to have faster rates of ethanol elimination than adults (Brasser
