drinking onset can lead to inflated estimates of the association between early use and risky or problem drinking. By no means do we conclude (based either on our own data or on prior studies in this area) that the risk for alcohol misuse associated with early drinking is purely a methodological artifact. The link between early alcohol use and alcohol-related problems has been demonstrated in many prospective studies (Grant et al., 2001; King and Chassin, 1999; Pedersen and Skrondal, 1998; Pitkanen et al., 2005; Warner and White, 2003) and should remain a focus for etiological and prevention research. What our data indicate is that fewer early initiates go on to develop problem drinking behaviors than is typically reported in retrospective studies. We hope that this finding will encourage investigation into factors that protect against risk for alcohol-related problems in those who begin drinking at a young age.
