Alcohol use entails high medical, social, and economic costs for our society. Despite laws restricting the age of alcohol users, alcohol use is young. Alcohol consumption among adolescents is characterized by frequent drinking and drinking in high quantities. At the same time, during adolescence, the brain undergoes many developmental changes.
Alcohol use can cause brain damage and long-term detrimental neurocognitive effects, such as executive functioning, memory, and learning abilities. Moreover, evidence suggests that early-onset and high-risk alcohol use among adolescents increase the risk for later alcohol abuse and addiction.