American boys try alcohol for the first time when they are 11 years old, on average. For American girls, it's 13 years old. The average American starts drinking regularly by the time he or she is 16, and an estimated 7.2 million Americans younger than age 21 binge drink — which usually means having five or more drinks consecutively — at least once every two weeks.
More facts about children and alcohol:
- Underage drinking is allowed in 31 U.S. states if the minor has parental consent and the alcohol is consumed on private premises. There are eight types of exemptions to the minimum drinking age, including drinking for religious ceremonies and drinking for educational purposes. These exceptions vary by state, though.
- About two-thirds of sexual assaults and date rapes in teenagers and college students are linked with alcohol consumption.
- People who get drunk for the first time before they turn 15 are about five times more likely to have problems with alcohol consumption in their adult lives.