- Zero-alcohol drinks may act as a gateway to real alcohol for youngsters, according to research.
- Australian experts found that over half of surveyed teens found zero alcohol products appealing, with more than one in three having tried them.
- Some teens expressed fears that peers could get ‘hooked’ on the taste of alcoholic beverages from alcohol-free alternatives and drink more once they turned 18.
- The rise in popularity of zero-alcohol drinks has led to increased caution among researchers to prevent them from being a ‘Trojan horse’ to underage drinking.
- The study also highlighted concerns about the lack of standards limiting the ways zero alcohol products simulate alcoholic products, creating a public health risk for young Australians.
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Addiction Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Public Health & Prevention