Geographies of alcohol and generation: Examining the decline in youth drinking in England through a spatial lens.

INTRODUCTION: While international literature addresses the links between youth culture and the decline in youth drinking, little research has engaged with scholarship on youth geographies to more fully disentangle these links. This article explores how the decline is connected to shifts in where young people access and drink alcohol. METHODS: Qualitative interviews were conducted with young people aged 12-19 (N = 96) and 29-35 (N = 17) years in England. The interviews explored the place of alcohol in everyday life, with younger participants discussing the present and older participants discussing their youth in the late 1990s to early 2000s. Data were analysed thematically. FINDINGS: Buying alcohol in shops and licensed premises was a common experience for older participants when they were teenagers but few younger participants discussed buying alcohol from commercial settings. Older participants also reflected positively on drinking in outdoor public spaces whereas younger participants, particularly those from working-class backgrounds, regarded this as morally suspect. Young participants instead accessed alcohol from parents and siblings, and often consumed it in their or others' homes in supervised or moderated ways, seeing this as positive and normative. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Spatial shifts in young people's drinking away from public spaces and toward the home appear an important part of a wider trend that renders youth drinking as increasingly moderate, risk-averse, incidental and mediated by parents, rather than excessive, transgressive and integral to youth culture.

A spatial examination of alcohol availability and the level of disadvantage of schools in Ireland.

BACKGROUND: The availability of alcohol is a major factor in underage drinking and according to the alcohol harm paradox, those living in more deprived communities are more susceptible to the negative consequences of alcohol use, despite drinking the same or less than those from more affluent areas. Alcohol availability within the vicinity of the home or school normalises alcohol for schoolchildren. For the first time in the Republic of Ireland, this study examines the number of premises licensed to sell alcohol within 300 m of all schools in Ireland and differences in this number between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged schools. METHODS: Using publicly available data from the Department of Education and Revenue, the addresses of all schools (n = 3,958) and all premises with at least one liquor licence (n = 14,840) were geocoded and analysed using the Geographic Information System software, Quantum GIS (QGIS). Schools were identified by their disadvantaged classification using the HP Pobal Deprivation Index and the number of liquor licences within 300 m of each school type was examined. To test for significant differences between schools' level of disadvantage, a combination of Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests and Dunn-Bonferroni tests were used. RESULTS: There was a mean of two licenced premises within 300 m of all schools in Ireland, but when disadvantaged schools were compared to non-disadvantaged schools, there was a significantly higher number of licenced premises around disadvantaged schools (p < .001). Primary schools are further classified according to their level of disadvantage and the results indicated that those schools classified as the most disadvantaged had a significantly greater number of liquor licences within 300 meters (p < .001). There was no significant difference in density of licenced premises when comparing disadvantaged secondary schools with non-disadvantaged secondary schools (p = .705). CONCLUSION: Ireland is considering increasing alcohol availability through the Sale of Alcohol Bill, 2022. However, this analysis indicates already problematic numbers of licenced premises within close proximity of schools in Ireland. It is essential that the harms associated with alcohol availability are considered, especially for those living and attending school in disadvantaged communities, where higher numbers of licenced premises were identified.

Longitudinal associations between adult-supervised drinking during adolescence and alcohol misuse from ages 25-31 years: A comparison of Australia and the United States.

Prior studies suggest that adult supervised drinking in adolescence predicts greater adolescent alcohol misuse. Long-term follow up data examining how adult supervised drinking during adolescence relates to alcohol misuse in adulthood are lacking. Longitudinal data from the International Youth Development Study tested associations between adult supervised drinking during adolescence (ages 13-16; 2002-2004) and adult alcohol misuse (ages 25-31; 2014, 2018, 2020). Cross-nationally matched samples were compared in Washington State, USA (n = 961) and Victoria, Australia (n = 1,957; total N = 2,918, 55 % female, 83 % White), where adult-supervised adolescent alcohol use was more common. Multilevel analyses adjusted for state, sex, adolescent drinking, parent education, family management, family history of substance use problems, and parent alcohol-related norms. Adult supervised drinking in adolescence (at dinner or parties, on holidays) predicted more adult alcohol misuse (mean Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score; b[SE] 0.07[0.03]; p = 0.004) and higher rates of alcohol-impaired driving (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.501, p = 0.034) and riding with an alcohol-impaired driver (OR 1.669, p = 0.005), but not the use of strategies to moderate alcohol intake (e.g., counting drinks). Better family management (monitoring, clear rules) in adolescence predicted less adult alcohol misuse. Associations were similar in the two states. Reducing the frequency of adult supervised drinking and improving family management practices in adolescence may help to decrease alcohol misuse well into adulthood. Findings support the widespread implementation of substance use prevention and family management training programs.

Age at first drink and its influence on alcohol use behaviours in young adulthood: Evidence from an Australian household-based panel study.

BACKGROUND: Public health guidelines recommend delaying the initiation age for alcohol. However, the causal link between age-at-first-drink (AFD) and future alcohol use in young adulthood is uncertain. This study examined the association between AFD and alcohol-related outcomes at age 20 years using an Australian sample. METHODS: Data were obtained from Waves 1-19 (years 2001-2019) of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey on 20-year-olds with responses across ≥3 consecutive waves (n = 2278). The AFD for each respondent (between 15 and 20 years) was analysed relative to Australian legal drinking age (18 years). Inverse probability treatment weighting was used to evaluate associations between AFD and four outcomes at age 20 years: risk of current alcohol use; quantity of weekly alcohol consumption; risk of binge drinking; and frequency of binge drinking. Adjustments were made for confounders (e.g., heavy drinking by parents). Robustness of study findings was evaluated using several diagnostic tests/sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: Among 20-year-olds, those with an AFD of 15-16 years consumed significantly more alcohol per week compared to an AFD of 18 years. Additionally, 20-year-old drinkers with an AFD of 16 years were significantly more likely to binge drink (though this association was likely confounded). An inverse dose-response relationship was observed between AFD and weekly alcohol consumption at 20 years, where a higher AFD led to lower alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION: Study findings indicate an association between a higher AFD and consuming less alcohol in young adulthood, which could potentially support the scale-up of prevention programs to delay AFD among Australian adolescents.

Estilos de vida de estudiantes universitarios: retorno de la virtualidad a la presencialidad / Lifestyles of university students: return from virtuality to presentiality

Introducción: El estilo de vida es un conjunto integral de comportamientos que tiene cada individuo en su diario vivir,constituyendo factores condicionantes de salud individual y colectiva. Objetivo: Caracterizar los estilos de vida que presentan los estudiantes universitarios al retorno de la virtualidad a la presencialidad. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio transversal, descriptivo y observacional. El estilo de vida de los estudiantes universitarios se determinó mediante la aplicación del cuestionario validado FANTASTICO, consta de 25 preguntas, que indagan 9componentes o dimensiones tanto físicas, psicológicas y sociales. La información se recogió mediante el uso de un cuestionario online estructurado y creado en google forms.Resultados: La muestra de investigación estuvo constituida por 3110 varones y 2048 mujeres que representaron el60,3% y 39,7% respectivamente. Se evidenció que el mayor porcentaje de investigados lleva a veces una alimentación balanceada (55.9%). Con respecto a la actividad física, manifestaron que casi siempre caminan, suben escaleras y/o hacen trabajo doméstico (52,6%), sin embargo, expresaron realizar ejercicio menos de una vez por semana (50,5%). En referencia a los hábitos tóxicos, refirieron que algunas vece si ngieren alcohol (96,3%) y no han consumido tabaco en los últimos 5 años (78,2%). Conclusiones: El estilo de vida de los estudiantes universitarios al retorno de la virtualidad a la presencialidad fluctúa entre regular y bueno, por lo que se recomienda fomentar en el ámbito educativo hábitos saludables, como la promoción de una dieta saludable, incremento de la actividad física y disminución del consumo de tabaco y alcohol.(AU)

Introduction: Lifestyle is a comprehensive set of behaviorsthat each individual has in their daily lives, constitutingconditioning factors of individual and collective healthObjective:Characterize the lifestyles that university students present upon returning from virtuality to in-personpresence. Materials and methods:Cross-sectional, descriptive and observational study. The lifestyle of the university studentswas determined by applying the validated FANTASTICquestionnaire, which consists of 25 questions that investigate9 physical, psychological and social components ordimensions. The information was collected through the use ofa structured online questionnaire created in Google Forms. Results: The research sample consisted of 3,110 men and2,048 women, representing 60.3% and 39.7% respectively. Itwas evident that the highest percentage of those investigatedsometimes eat a balanced diet (55.9%). Regarding physicalactivity, they stated that they almost always walk, climb stairsand/or do housework (52.6%), however, they expressedexercising less than once a week (50.5%). In reference to toxichabits, they reported that they consume alcohol occasionally(96.3%) and have not used tobacco in the last 5 years (78.2%). Conclusions: The lifestyle of university students uponreturning from virtuality to face-to-face fluctuates between average and good, which is why it is recommended topromote healthy habits in the educational field, such aspromoting a healthy diet, increasing physical activity anddecreasing of tobacco and alcohol consumption.(AU)

Resiliencia y consumo de alcohol o tabaco en adolescentes de la zona este de Tijuana / Resilience and use of alcohol or tobacco among adolescents from the eastern area of Tijuana

Objetivo: describir las características de la resiliencia y su asociación con el consumo de alcohol y tabaco en adolescentes residentes en la zona este de Tijuana, frontera norte de México. Método: estudio descriptivo transversal cuya población fueron 7.611 adolescentes de 11 a 16 años escolarizados de la ciudad de Tijuana, Baja California. Se estimó una muestra de 663 participantes seleccionados mediante muestreo por conglomerados. Se recogieron variables sociodemográficas, de historia de consumo de tabaco y alcohol y la resiliencia (ER-14) (mín. 14 a máx. 98 p; muy baja, baja, normal, alta o muy alta). Se realizó estadística descriptiva, bivariante y modelos de regresión logística ajustados por sexo para la variable “consumo de alcohol o tabaco”. Resultados: participaron 710 adolescentes (50,7% mujeres). El 46% había consumido alcohol o tabaco en algún momento de su vida y el 27,1% en el último año (mujeres 31,5%; hombres 23,3%; p= 0,005). El 29% mostró alta resiliencia y el 25,5% muy alta resiliencia. Se obtuvo con más frecuencia alta puntuación en las afirmaciones: soy alguien en quien se puede confiar en emergencias (42,5%), siento orgullo de mis logros (41,3%), la vida tiene sentido (33,1%). Se encontró un efecto negativo de la resiliencia sobre el consumo de alcohol o tabaco alguna vez en la vida (ORa= 0,984; IC95% [0,978-0,990]) y en el último año (ORa= 0,987; IC95% [0,981-0,994]). Conclusión: a mayor resiliencia menor fue la probabilidad de consumo de alcohol o tabaco alguna vez en la vida y en el último año. Intervenciones futuras deben considerar estos resultados.(AU)

Objective: to describe the characteristics of resilience and its association with the use of alcohol and tobacco among adolescents living in Eastern Tijuana, in the Northern border of Mexico. Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study on a population of 7,611 adolescents from 11 to 16 years old, attending school in the city of Tijuana, Baja California. The sample was estimated in 633 participants, selected through cluster sampling. Sociodemographic variables were collected, their history of use of tobacco and alcohol, as well as resilience (RS-14) (minimum 14 to maximum 98 scores; very low, low, normal, high or very high). Descriptive bivariate statistics were used, as well as logistical regression models adjusted by gender for the “use of alcohol of tobacco” variable. Results: the study included 710 adolescents (50.7% were female); 46% of them had used alcohol or tobacco at some point in their lives, and 27.1% during the past year (31.5% female; 23.3% male; p= 0.005); 29% showed high resilience and 25.5% showed very high resilience. The most frequently obtained high scores were for the statements: I am someone who can be trusted in emergencies (42.5%), I feel proud of my achievements (41.3%), and Life makes sense (33.1%). A negative effect of resilience was found on alcohol and tobacco use at some point in life (ORa= 0.984; CI95% [0.978-0.990]) and during the past year (ORa= 0.987; CI95% [0.981-0.994]). Conclusion: the higher the resilience, the lower the likelihood of using alcohol or tobacco at some point in life and during the last year. Future interventions should consider these results.(AU)

Parental Alcohol Communication and Student Drinking: Examining Potential Differences between Underage and Legal Drinking Age Students.

BACKGROUND: We explored associations between parental alcohol communication (PCA) and student drinking behavior and protective behavioral strategies (PBS) use. METHODS: College students in the United States, who had talked about alcohol with parents, (N = 251) completed an anonymous online survey in Fall 2021. Participants reported frequency of discussing 14 alcohol-related topics with parents, past 30-day drinking behaviors, and PBS use. RESULTS: We identified two forms of PCA: general alcohol information and alcohol risk information, with alcohol risk information being more common than general alcohol information. PCA was not significantly associated with drinking behavior but was associated with two types of PBS. Specifically, general alcohol information was associated with greater use of serious harm reduction and stopping or limiting drinking strategies. Additionally, legal drinking age status moderated the associations between both forms of PCA and the use of stopping or limiting drinking strategies. In general, underage students stopping or limiting drinking strategies benefited from general alcohol information but not alcohol risk information. Legal drinking age students stopping or limiting drinking strategies benefited from alcohol risk information. CONCLUSIONS: Among these students, PCA appears to have a greater impact on PBS use rather than drinking behavior. This may reflect a shift in students' beliefs about parental authority over alcohol and parents' acceptance of alcohol use by their children.

Alcohol Use and Abstinence throughout Adolescence: The Changing Contributions of Perceived Risk of Drinking, Opportunities to Drink, and Self-Control.

Objective: Adolescence is characterized by psychosocial and cognitive changes that can alter the perceived risk of negative effects of alcohol, opportunities to drink, and self-control. Few studies have investigated whether these factors change in their contribution to adolescent drinking over time. This study examined associations between perceived risk, opportunities to drink, self-control, and past-year drinking and investigated whether self-control buffers the effect of lower perceived risk and frequent drinking opportunities on the probability of past-year drinking. Method: Data from a four-wave longitudinal study (2015-2020) of 2,104 North Carolina adolescents (Mage = 12.36, SDage = 1.12, at Time 1) were used to assess changes in associations between self-control, perceived risk of drinking, and drinking opportunities on the frequency of past-year drinking. Hypotheses were tested using latent trajectory models. Results: At all timepoints, greater perceived risk, fewer drinking opportunities, and higher self-control were associated with drinking abstinence in the past year. Self-control buffered the impact of frequent drinking opportunities and lower perceived risk on the probability of alcohol use at Times 1-3. Conclusions: Despite expectations that adolescents' ability to navigate their environments improves as they age, associations between risk, protective factors, and past-year drinking were relatively stable over time. Nevertheless, self-control protected against frequent drinking opportunities and lower perceived risk. Strategies that support or relieve the need for self-control (e.g., situation modification) may protect against alcohol use throughout adolescence.

Early Family Experiences, Drug Use, and Psychosocial Adjustment across the Life Span: Is Parental Strictness Always a Protective Factor? / [Las experiencias tempranas en la familia, el uso de drogas y el ajuste psicosocial: ¿es siempre la severidad parental un factor de protección?]

Objective: This study analyzes whether parental strictness, which is shared by authoritative parenting (strictness and warmth) and authoritarian parenting (strictness without warmth) styles, always acts as a main protective factor against drug use and psychosocial maladjustment in children. This conclusion has already been stated in numerous classic studies, though emergent research suggests that there are benefits to parental warmth regardless of whether strictness is present or not. Method: Sample were 2,095 Spanish participants (1,227 females, 58.6%), 581 adolescent children (aged 12-18 years, 27.7%) and 1,514 adult children (72.3%). The measures were the main parenting style dimensions (warmth and strictness), drug use, and a set of indicators of psychosocial adjustment. A 4 × 2 × 4 MANOVA was applied for all outcomes with parenting style, sex, and age as independent variables. Results: Indulgent parenting (warmth without strictness) was related to less drug use than parenting without warmth (authoritarian and neglectful). Additionally, indulgent and authoritative parenting styles were related to better scores on psychosocial adjustment than authoritarian and neglectful styles, although the indulgent parenting was the only style related to the optimal scores being equal or even more effective than the authoritative style. Conclusion: Contrary to classical studies, present findings suggest that it is the parental warmth instead of the parental strictness that seems to be effective in protecting against drug use and psychosocial maladjustment.(AU)

Objetivo: En este estudio se analiza si, como asumen numerosos estudios clásicos, el componente de severidad que comparte el estilo parental autorizativo (severidad y afecto) con el estilo autoritario (severidad sin afecto) actúan siempre como el principal factor protector del consumo de drogas y el desajuste psicosocial de los hijos. Sin embargo, la investigación emergente sugiere los beneficios del afecto parental independientemente de la severidad. Método: Los participantes fueron 2,095 hijos españoles (1,227 mujeres, 58.6%), 581 adolescentes (de 12 a 18 años, 27.7%) y 1,514 adultos (72.3%). Las medidas fueron de las principales dimensiones del estilo parental (afecto y severidad), del consumo de drogas y un conjunto de indicadores del ajuste psicosocial. Se aplicó un MANOVA 4 × 2 × 4 con todos los criterios evaluados analizando el estilo parental, el sexo y la edad como variables independientes. Resultados: El estilo indulgente (afecto sin severidad) se relacionó con un menor consumo de drogas que los estilos sin afecto (autoritario y negligente). Además, los estilos indulgente y autorizativo se relacionaron con mejores puntuaciones en ajuste psicosocial, aunque el indulgente fue el único estilo relacionado con las puntuaciones óptimas siendo igual o incluso más eficaz que el estilo autorizativo. Conclusión: A diferencia de los estudios clásicos, los presentes resultados sugieren que el afecto parental, en vez de la severidad, parece ser eficaz como protección frente al consumo de drogas y el desajuste psicosocial.(AU)

Examining the association between psychological distress and alcohol use in Australian adolescents over a period of declining consumption.

INTRODUCTION: Youth drinking rates have declined over the past 15 years while self-reported psychological distress has increased, despite a well-recognised positive relationship between the two. The current study aimed to identify changes in the relationship between psychological distress and alcohol use in adolescents from 2007 to 2019. METHODS: This study used survey responses from 6543 Australians aged 14-19 years who completed the National Drug Strategy Household Survey in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 or 2019. Logistic and multivariable linear regressions with interactions (psychological distress × survey wave) predicted any alcohol consumption, short-term risk and average quantity of standard drinks consumed per day. RESULTS: Psychological distress was a positive predictor of alcohol use and this association remained stable across survey waves as alcohol consumption decreased. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between distress and alcohol consumption remained relatively steady, even as youth drinking declined and distress increased. The proportion of drinkers experiencing distress did not increase as consumption rates dropped, suggesting that the decline in youth drinking is occurring independently of the increase in self-reported and diagnosed mental health issues.

Does the decline in Swedish adolescent drinking persist into early adulthood?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sweden has experienced a substantial decrease in adolescent drinking over the past decades. Whether the reduction persists into early adulthood remains unclear. Using survey data, the present study aimed to determine whether reductions in indicators of alcohol use observed among adolescents remain in early adulthood and whether changes in alcohol intake are consistent among light/moderate and heavy drinkers. DESIGN: Data from the Swedish monthly Alcohol Monitoring Survey (2001-20) were used to construct five 5-year birth cohorts (1978-82, 1983-87, 1988-92, 1993-97 and 1998-2002). SETTING: Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: A total of n = 52 847 respondents (48% females) aged 16 and 30 years were included in this study. MEASUREMENTS: For both males and females, temporal changes in the prevalence of any drinking, the prevalence of heavy episodic drinking (HED) and total alcohol intake in the past 30 days in centilitres were analysed. FINDINGS: The prevalence of any drinking in more recent cohorts remained low until young people came into their early (females) and mid- (males) 20s. Male cohorts differed in the prevalence of HED across age, with the later cohorts showing lower odds than earlier cohorts (odds ratios between 0.54 and 0.66). Among females, no systematic differences between cohorts across age could be observed. Later male birth cohorts in light/moderate drinkers had lower alcohol intake than earlier cohorts (correlation coefficients between -0.09 and -0.54). No statistically significant cohort effects were found for male heavy drinkers. Although differences in alcohol intake among females diminished as age increased, the cohorts did not differ systematically in their level of alcohol intake. CONCLUSIONS: In Sweden, the reduced uptake of drinking in adolescents appears to fade as people move into adulthood. Observed reductions in alcohol intake among light and moderate drinkers appear to persist into adulthood. More recent male cohorts show a lower prevalence rate of heavy episodic drinking.

The potential adverse effects of minors' exposure to alcohol-related stimuli via licenced venues: A narrative review.

ISSUES: Young people are particularly impressionable when it comes to forming expectations and attitudes around alcohol consumption. Any stimuli that normalise and foster positive expectations around alcohol use may increase the risk of underage alcohol consumption. Alcohol venues that market themselves as being appropriate 'family friendly' establishments for children risk exposing minors to environments that are saturated with alcohol-related stimuli. However, research examining how exposure to licenced venues affects underage people is very limited. The aim of this narrative review was to identify and synthesise relevant evidence to better understand how attending these venues might affect minors. APPROACH: A narrative review of research published between January 2016 and November 2022 was conducted to investigate the potential effects on underage people of exposure to licenced venues and stimuli encountered in/around these venues. Examined stimuli included alcohol advertising, people consuming alcohol and alcohol outlets. KEY FINDINGS: The reviewed literature indicates that the risk of alcohol-related harm among minors is likely to increase with greater exposure to alcohol venues due to the associated exposure to alcohol advertising, exposure to others consuming alcohol and higher outlet density. In combination, these factors are likely to normalise alcohol consumption for minors and create positive alcohol expectancies. IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION: Venues serving alcohol should be discouraged from targeting families and parents should be warned about the risks associated with taking minors to venues where alcohol is sold and consumed.

Longitudinal Relations Among Parental Substance Use Disorder and Adolescent Drinking Behavior: The Role of Temperament, Negative Urgency, and Maternal Parenting.

Research suggests that parental substance use disorder is associated with adolescent drinking indirectly through negative urgency, a form of impulsivity that is particularly associated with high-risk drinking. Moreover, childhood mechanisms of risk may play a role in this developmental chain such that childhood temperament and parenting may be mechanisms through which parental substance use disorder is associated with adolescent negative urgency and drinking behavior. Therefore, the current study tested whether parental substance use disorder was indirectly associated with adolescent drinking frequency through childhood temperament (i.e., "dysregulated irritability") and adolescent negative urgency, and whether relations differed by levels of maternal support and consistency of discipline. Data come from a multigenerational, longitudinal study of familial substance use disorder (N = 276, Mage in childhood = 6.28 (SD = 1.16), Mage in adolescence = 15.86 (SD = 1.56), 45.3% female). Findings indicated that parental substance use disorder indirectly predicted adolescent drinking through both childhood dysregulated irritability and adolescent negative urgency (mediated pathways). This indirect relation was stronger at higher vs. lower levels of maternal support but did not vary by maternal consistency of discipline. Parental substance use disorder also indirectly predicted adolescent drinking separately through childhood dysregulated irritability and negative urgency. Findings thus suggest that childhood dysregulated irritability may be an early marker of risk toward high-risk personality traits and behavior in adolescence that are associated with having a parental history of substance use disorder. Findings also suggest that increased maternal support may only be helpful in buffering risk for those with low levels of dysregulated irritability. Prevention efforts focused on childhood emotion regulation and emotion-based action may be useful in preventing adolescent risk behavior.

Change in Alcohol Consumption in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Most young people start to drink alcohol in adolescence and increase their consumption until their early 20s. The present study meta-analyzed results of longitudinal studies across the age range of 10 to 25 years. METHOD: A systematic search in the PsycINFO, PSYNDEX, and Web of Science databases resulted in 513 studies that were included in multilevel meta-analysis. RESULTS: On average, alcohol consumption increased by .21 standard deviation units per year, with the strongest increase at age 12 to 13 years. Regarding cumulative change, drinking peaked around 22 years. Drinking started to decline at age 24, with minor changes being observed in 24- and 25-year-olds. Female participants increased their consumption less than their male peers, but gender differences were very small. Weaker increases in drinking were found in countries with higher minimum legal age of buying alcohol. Passing the minimum legal age of 16 years was associated with a stronger immediate increase in drinking compared with countries with higher minimum legal age, whereas passing higher minimum legal ages had no effect on alcohol consumption. In U.S. samples, smaller increases in drinking were observed in more recent studies. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention must start before age 12. Passing a low minimum legal drinking age only seems to have a short-term effect on alcohol consumption.

Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Produces Sex-Specific Long-term Hyperalgesia via Changes in Central Amygdala Circuit Function.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to alcohol during adolescence produces many effects that last well into adulthood. Acute alcohol use is analgesic, and people living with pain report drinking alcohol to reduce pain, but chronic alcohol use produces increases in pain sensitivity. METHODS: We tested the acute and lasting effects of chronic adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure on pain-related behavioral and brain changes in male and female rats. We also tested the long-term effects of AIE on synaptic transmission in midbrain (ventrolateral periaqueductal gray [vlPAG])-projecting central amygdala (CeA) neurons using whole-cell electrophysiology. Finally, we used circuit-based approaches (DREADDs [designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs]) to test the role of vlPAG-projecting CeA neurons in mediating AIE effects on pain-related outcomes. RESULTS: AIE produced long-lasting hyperalgesia in male, but not female, rats. Similarly, AIE led to a reduction in synaptic strength of medial CeA cells that project to the vlPAG in male, but not female, rats. Challenge with an acute painful stimulus (i.e., formalin) in adulthood produced expected increases in pain reactivity, and this effect was exaggerated in male rats with a history of AIE. Finally, CeA-vlPAG circuit activation rescued AIE-induced hypersensitivity in male rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are the first, to our knowledge, to show long-lasting sex-dependent effects of adolescent alcohol exposure on pain-related behaviors and brain circuits in adult animals. This work has implications for understanding the long-term effects of underage alcohol drinking on pain-related behaviors in humans.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between youth drinking, self-posting of alcohol use and other social media engagement (2012-21).

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Social networking sites (SNS) are interactive internet-based social platforms that facilitate information sharing. A growing body of literature on exposure to, and self-posting of, alcohol-related content on SNS has examined the relationship between SNS use and alcohol consumption in young people. This study aims to synthesise the literature exploring the relationship between exposure (i.e. viewing or listening of alcohol-related media) and self-posting (i.e. uploading images or text of alcohol content) of alcohol-related media on SNS on alcohol consumption. METHODS: A pre-registered systematic review was conducted in June 2022 within PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Original prospective and cross-sectional studies assessing youth and young adults (≤ 24 years of age) that measured exposure to alcohol-related media or posting of alcohol-related content on SNS and self-reported alcohol consumption outcomes were included. Meta-analyses were conducted on comparable methodologies. RESULTS: Thirty studies were included (n = 19,386). Meta-analyses of cross-sectional studies showed both greater exposure (five studies; pooled ß = 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.23, 0.44, i2 = 27.7%) and self-posting of alcohol-related content (six studies; pooled ß = 0.57, 95%CI = 0.25,0.88, i2 = 97.8%) was associated with greater alcohol consumption. Meta-analyses of three prospective studies also identified that greater exposure predicted greater future alcohol consumption (three studies; pooled ß = 0.13, 95%CI = 0.11,0.15, i2 = 0.0%). Narrative analyses of studies that could not be meta-analysed due to incompatible methodologies were also conducted. Most studies (all four prospective, one of two cross-sectional) identified positive associations between exposure to alcohol-related content and greater average consumption. Most studies (three of four prospective, four of six cross-sectional) reported a positive association between of alcohol-related self-posting and greater average alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Both exposure to, and self-posting of, alcohol-related content on social networking sites are positively associated with current average consumption, problem drinking, and drinking frequency.

Understanding youth drinking decline: Similarity and change in the function and social meaning of alcohol use (and non-use) in adolescent cohorts 20 years apart.

INTRODUCTION: Qualitative research aimed at understanding the decline in youth drinking has so far been hampered by a lack of baseline data for comparison. This New Zealand study overcomes this limitation by comparing archival qualitative data collected at the height of youth drinking (1999-2001) with contemporary data collected for this study (June-October 2022). The aim is to explore changes in the function and social meaning of alcohol use (and non-use) for two cohorts about 20 years apart. METHODS: Both archival and contemporary data were collected from 14 to 17 year old secondary school students (years 10-12) through individual and small-group/pair interviews in matched suburban co-ed schools. Interviews explored friendships, lifestyles, romantic relationships and experiences and perceptions of substance use and non-use. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Comparative analysis highlighted changes that may help to explain the decline in youth drinking, including an increased value placed on personal choice and acceptance of diversity; decreased face-to-face socialising and the emergence of social media as a central feature of adolescent social life, perhaps displacing key functions of drinking and partying; increased pervasiveness of risk discourses and increased awareness of health and social risks of alcohol; and increased framing of alcohol use as a coping mechanism by both drinkers and non-drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these changes appear to have shifted the social position of drinking from an almost compulsory component of adolescent social life in 1999-2001, to an optional activity that many contemporary adolescents perceive to have high risks and few benefits.