A new study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has determined that children under the age of 17 who are allowed to watch R-rated movies are more likely to try alcohol at an early age. The article discusses reasons behind the study’s findings, and explains how R-rated movies affect different types of children, but the long and the short of it is: Alcohol use remains a pervasive problem among adolescents in the United States. As parents, it is our job to help our children develop the skills to achieve responsible adult use or to choose abstinence. Being knowledgeable is a good start.

Also of interest:

A Developmental Perspective on Underage Alcohol Use

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh321/3-15.htm