Evidence from a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center study indicate that up to 10% of 4th graders have already tried alcohol. Health experts believe that this finding means that alcohol education should begin around this time, since history has shown a link between early alcohol use and poor outcomes for teens and young adults. Use of alcohol among this age group doubles between 4th and 6th grade, so it makes sense to be proactive and targeting kids before they start messing around with alcohol.

Is anyone else shocked? I honestly can't remember much about 4th grade, but was alcohol even on my radar then? I don't know, but I agree that if the statistics say it's true, then education should begin. Luckily, these same surveys -- which have been done regularly for 15 years or more - - show that, in general, alcohol consumption among these age groups are on the decline. Whew.