Warnings about the danger of adolescents consuming alcohol are very old. Plato (427-327 B.C.) stated that "they should abstain from alcoholic beverages until the age of 18, since it is not good to pour oil on the fire". Many centuries later the same warning continues, but with greater reason. With each passing year, the age at which adolescents start drinking alcoholic beverages is getting a little earlier, which increases the risk of addiction.

At present, the first binge drinking is at the age of 12 or 13. It takes place mainly in the group of fun of the nights of the weekend, in the "botellón".

The World Health Organization has pointed out several causes of alcohol consumption by adolescents: out of curiosity; to be accepted in the group of friends who drink; the presence of alcohol within the reach of anyone; lack of affection and indifference in the family environment; separation, illness or death of parents; family or school pressures and tensions; low level of self-acceptance and self-esteem.

For many adolescents today, the first consumption of alcohol has a social and cultural symbolism; it is a new rite of passage into adulthood. Most identify "going out" with drinking; they believe that if they don't drink they won't have fun. Many drink as soon as they go out and drink compulsively, to get "high" quickly; in this way alcohol functions as a drug.

Some teenagers believe that drinks make us happy. The truth is different: alcohol is a depressant; after the initial brief euphoria comes the downturn and a possible hangover.

The well-known phrase "I need a drink" is an emotional cliché that people often resort to in order to cheer themselves up. It is no longer exclusive to adults; nowadays it is used by many teenagers, and is even topic of some of their favorite songs:

"I'm here, in my house very bored//Spending like a fool the meaningless hours (...) // What I need is a drink//So I can stabilize myself." (group Tequila).

Half a glass of whiskey a day, for example, can reduce stress, but those who expect something more, such as filling an existential void, will find it very difficult to drink in moderation.

Warnings about the dangers of alcoholic beverages are often helpful at an early stage for the drinker, but not when the habit is ingrained. It is possible that the irony of the humorists may help some heavy drinkers to reflect. An example: "Rum plus ice damages the liver; vodka plus ice damages the kidney; whiskey plus ice damages the heart; beer plus ice damages the brain. Conclusion: How much damage ice does!".

Some teens say they "get high" with a few drinks just to "break the ice" at parties and be funny. Others disagree: "I'm not okay with having to get high to have fun; "being jolly is much better than getting jolly."

Adolescents are also driven to drink by their eagerness to try and experience everything. In addition, there is a high social tolerance of alcohol consumption, even among minors.

In order to be integrated into the group peer group, a teetotaler adolescent has to adapt to its customs, one of which is often the consumption of alcohol. Anyone who refuses to drink is often first ridiculed and then rejected.

To be cured, an alcohol sufferer needs to recognize that he or she has a problem and accept treatment. First comes detoxification and then psychotherapy. Patricia Owen, director of the Hazelden Foundation in Minnesota, has found that patients need a lot of emotional support and willpower. She adds that the regular company of a family member and/or a friend is very effective in this process. In addition, they should abandon the old environment of drinking friends, because it could favor a relapse.

The testimony of former alcoholics is very effective in the prevention of alcoholism among adolescents, because they are very impressed by the experience they had. For example, Pilar's: "I had my first drink when I was 17 years old, to overcome my shyness and relate to boys. I remember that we drank very differently from how adults drink. Adults drink because it is a social custom, so they can hold on until they are old. Young people, on the other hand, drank to get drunk as soon as possible, to get high on booze; we would mix everything subject of strong drinks. Once I was taken to the hospital because of an ethylic like."

It is also preventive that not all family celebrations are with alcohol consumption and not to laugh "thanks" to those who get drunk. That would be complicity with those who directly threaten public health.