Early tipple does not serve children

The younger your kids drink the more likely they are to suffer alcohol-related problems later in their lives, a new study reveals. Arlene Harris reports.

MOST parents disapprove of underage drinking, but many believe that allowing their child a watered-down glass of wine with dinner or a sip of beer whileon holiday is the responsible way to introduce them to alcohol in a secure environment.

But American researchers at Yale University School of Medicine have revealed that the younger people have their first drink, the more likely they are to suffer alcohol-related problems in later life and be more prone to drug abuse, liver damage and problematic brain development.