How can we inform and protect very young people from the risks of drinking too much alcohol? In order to find as comprehensive an answer as possible, in 2007 the National Centre carried out research on alcohol use and abuse among young people. A deeper understanding of alcohol consumption, which has intensified in recent years among very young people both in Italy and abroad, is essential to identify strategies and initiatives that strengthen the protection of young people’s health and safety but also trigger changes in their behaviour. Given the multidimensional nature of the issue, the research activity focused on several aspects, drawing on input from the main players and institutions – both public and private – who have been called upon to deal with this reality and the related problems. The testimonies, collected through interviews or written contributions, were supplemented with an analysis of the available data on the combination of ‘young people and alcohol’. They used not only alcohol use and abuse as a reference but also closely related risk behaviour, habits and lifestyles and the more drastic aspects produced by certain attitudes, such as road accidents. In order to contextualise the issue at European level, summary sheets have been compiled for each EU country with information on the habits and behaviour of young people and adolescents and an in-depth look at current regulations, average alcohol consumption and accident rates caused by alcohol abuse.