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Underage drinkers don't have to work too hard to get access to booze, says a new report.

According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than 200,000 kids were served alcohol by a parent, guardian, or other family member in one month. And that doesn't include the kids who are drinking without their parent's knowledge.

"About 5.9 percent of 12- to 14-year-olds have used alcohol in the past month," says Peter Delany, Ph.D., director of SAMHSA's Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. "That's a pretty large number."

Widespread problem

Delaney says more than 700,000 kids ages 12 to 14 are drinking. And about 45 percent of those surveyed were able to get booze from a parent or other family member, or they took it from home without permission.

Parents may not realize that regular drinking as a teen can lead to serious consequences in adulthood. Kids who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to become alcohol-dependent than those who wait until 21. Early drinking can also lead to:

• Death, or hospitalization from alcohol poisoning
• Heart and central nervous system damage; cirrhosis and cancer of the liver; stroke; and risk for overdose
• Decreased brain development, memory, and learning ability
• Deaths from falls, burns, drowning, and traffic accidents, as well as contemplating or committing suicide
• Violence - underage drinkers are more likely to commit or be victims of violent crime
• Inappropriate and unprotected sexual activity
• Poor school performance

Starting young

Surveys show that boys usually take their first drink at age 11 and girls at age 13. Many youngsters binge drink, having five or more drinks at a time, and prefer flavored alcoholic beverages, says the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

"Why parents are giving their kids alcohol isn't clear, Delany says. "Anecdotally, parents say, 'Well, at least they are drinking at home and not on the street, or at least they are not smoking marijuana' -- all kind of silly things."

Parents should consider locking up all the liquor at home and never giving any to children or teens, he says.

"We have to start talking to our kids about this issue," he says. "Talk to them all the time - it's not a onetime discussion."

Always consult your physician for more information.