Although a substantial proportion of individuals who drink excessively during adolescence transition into normative drinking patterns or abstinence, others develop adult AD and/or other SUDs, as well as other psychiatric co-morbidity (Clark, 2004). In addition to these risk factors, although the neuropsychological difficulties demonstrated in our sample are relatively subtle, they may have important clinical and public health implications. Memory difficulties are likely to affect our youth’s chances of reaching optimal potential in educational settings, thereby increasing their risk of experiencing occupational difficulties. Difficulties in self-monitoring and response inhibition may result in interpersonal complications. The early onset of AD is a source of concern in our community. Early onset (before the age of 15 years) of SUDs has been associated with a variety of negative health, safety and psychosocial problems (Zeigler et al., 2005). Examples of the problems associated with alcohol misuse that are relevant in the South African context are increased risk for injury and death (for example, from interpersonal violence, motor vehicle accidents and drownings associated with excessive alcohol use); increased probability of participating in sexually risky behaviors,
