A controversial new study claims that drinking with friends during late teenage years could actually boost career prospects and lead to higher earnings in later life, despite widespread concerns about binge drinking.
The Norwegian Drinking Study
Professor Willy Pedersen, a sociology expert at the University of Oslo, conducted an extensive 18-year study tracking the drinking habits of more than 3,000 Norwegians from age 13 to 31. The research revealed surprising patterns about alcohol consumption and career success.
Those who engaged in regular social binge drinking during their late teens and twenties were later found to achieve higher education levels and greater income compared to peers who abstained from alcohol or drank very little.
"The statistical findings are quite strong, so clearly significant," Professor Pedersen told The Times, describing the correlation as noteworthy and consistent throughout the long-term study.
The Social Benefits of Alcohol
Professor Pedersen suggests that alcohol's primary benefit lies in its ability to facilitate social connections. "The most likely explanation is that all alcohol is a kind of marker of sociality and that habit comes with some types of benefits," he explained.
In his book The Beauty and Pain of Drugs, the professor points to Oxford University's infamous Bullingdon Club as a prime example. The exclusive all-male institution is renowned for its excessive drinking culture and raucous behaviour, yet has produced three former prime ministers, including Boris Johnson.
Professor Pedersen elaborated on alcohol's social advantages in a Norwegian newspaper column titled 'Those who drink the most will earn the most'. He wrote: "Alcohol has major harmful effects, but it also brings joy. Alcohol intoxication can make us 'lower our guard', and that can be useful in many areas of life."
Expert Warnings and Counterarguments
Despite these findings, health specialists have urged significant caution and highlighted the substantial risks associated with alcohol consumption.
Professor Paolo Deluca, an addiction research expert at King's College London, offered an alternative interpretation of the study's results. "In Norway, as in many other countries, socioeconomic status remains one of the strongest predictors of future success," he noted, suggesting that the connection might reflect existing privilege rather than alcohol's benefits.
Professor Deluca emphasised that "any apparent 'benefit' of youthful binge drinking is more plausibly a reflection of privilege and social context, not a positive causal effect of alcohol itself."
Professor Pedersen himself acknowledged alcohol's substantial dangers, noting its connection to traffic accidents, violence, and increased risks of liver disease, cardiovascular problems, dementia, cancer and depression. He stressed that there is no safe lower limit for alcohol consumption, with risks increasing alongside consumption amounts.
Psychotherapist Fiona Yassin warned about the particular dangers for university students, noting that drinking to fit in can sometimes backfire. "Young people might drink to feel involved and motivated, but then feel horrible because of the alcohol and end up stuck in their room," she explained.
The research emerges alongside concerning statistics about childhood drinking in England. A World Health Organisation report revealed that one in three children in England has tried alcohol by age 11, representing the highest rate of childhood drinking across 44 countries studied.
Dr Katherine Severi, chief executive of the Institute of Alcohol Studies, challenged the common belief that introducing children to moderate drinking teaches safer habits. "This is untrue," she stated firmly. "The earlier a child drinks, the more likely they are to develop problems with alcohol in later life."
