Research has shown that early adulthood is a critical period for the development of substance use problems.24-26 Moreover, early onset of alcohol use has been associated with a greater risk of experiencing alcohol problems during this vulnerable developmental period.6 However, few studies have examined whether the risk of early alcohol use onset persists beyond the transition to early adulthood. Moreover, many studies have not taken into account the onset of other drugs and how they may interact with alcohol use onset to influence the risk of later alcohol problems.
