Alcohol affects teens differently than it does adults. Drinking alcohol as teens can have many negative impacts. Teen drinking can: 

• Impair brain development. In fact, the earlier a teen starts drinking, the greater the risk for negative consequences (1).
• Increase the risk of mental health problems such as depression (2) and anxiety disorders (3).
• Negatively impact school performance (4).
• Increase the risk of alcohol use disorders (such as addiction) later in life (5).

(Numbered citations can be found in the Resources section)