Teen drug, alcohol use linked to dad's drinking: US study

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2009

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Teenagers who live with alcoholic fathers or even dads who drink in moderation are more likely to have used drugs or had drinks themselves in the past year, a US study showed Thursday.

Around one in five children aged 12 to 17 whose fathers were teetotalers in the past year had alcoholic beverages themselves, compared with a third of youngsters whose dads drank in moderation, said the study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Among adolescents whose fathers abused alcohol, nearly four in 10 had drinks in the past year, the study showed. Just over 24 percent of these teens also said they used drugs in the past year.

Binge drinking and alcohol abuse among 12- to 17-year-olds increased with the level of...