If intake levels for secondary school and university students of the same sex are similar, this means that when secondary school students reach the age of 20, the consequences will be much greater than those seen amongst current university students.

"Nearly all adolescents who consumed alcohol started at around 13 or 14 years of age by drinking distilled alcohol (drinks with high alcohol content) in large quantities. On the other hand, university students started between 14 and 15 with fermented drinks like beer in relatively low quantities," confirms the expert.

the main reason for alcohol consumption in both groups is to have fun

The consequences are not understood

As for the consequences associated with alcohol consumption, neither youngsters nor university students are aware of the consequences.

They only take into consideration those consequences that repeatedly appear in television campaigns, like those relating to drink driving and personal relationship problems due to aggression.

They are also only aware of the immediate physical consequences like vomiting, dizziness, falling over and hangovers, etc.

ather that it is not recognised," concludes the researcher.

n general, youngsters feel that their alcohol consumption will have no negative consequences. They believe that for this to occur they would have to greatly increase their alcohol consumption. This, however, does not imply that the problem does not already exist but