<Back Alcohol: Your Child and Drugs One of the most abused drugs in our society is alcohol. It's also a drug that many people start using at very young ages. Though it's illegal for people younger than 21 years to drink, many children are introduced to alcohol well before they reach that age. The earlier they begin using alcohol, the higher the risk they will have problems with it later in life. This publication was written by the American Academy of Pediatrics to help parents understand the dangers of alcohol and how to prevent... Sign In Now To continue reading, you must be a subscriber to AAP Patient Education Online. Not a Subscriber? Subscribe Learn more about Patient Education Online Read the Sample Handout Take a Site Tour