For many, St. Patrck’s Day is an Irish Holiday. For many, St. Patrick’s Day is a Drinking Holiday.
In recognition of both, Mercury is reprinting an advice article from Ireland on teenage drinking.
Note the differences between the Irish culture and ours. Which approach do you think would work better to keep young people safe?
What are your thoughts about teenage alcohol use?
ALCOHOL RESPONSE IRELAND
Teenage – Underage Drinking- Ireland – Advice
Boys will be boys and Girls will be girls. Every parent wants the best for theirs but there are competing interests out there attracting their attention. Once and if alcohol becomes a part of a teenager’s life it is vital that it does so in a structured, healthy manner. We must be sure not to focus on youth drinking as the problem when in fact problem drinking spans right across gender and age patterns.
Current teenage drinking statistics show that underage drinking is common in Ireland as one in four 16 – 17 year olds claim to drink alcohol at least once a week.
Another survey (2010) makes more distressing claims.
Of course this is not the full story and we are aware of much younger children drinking alcohol on a regular basis.Other surveys suggest that over 1/3 of Irish 15-16 year olds engaging in “binge” drinking at least three times a month. This makes it the highest in the EU for that age group.
Whether we like it or not parents are the key to curbing teenagers’ harmful and potentially problematic drinking habits, according to the chief medical officer of the UK. He is very clear that no child under 15 should be drinking at all, and any child aged 15 to 17, if drinking, should be doing so infrequently and under the supervision of a parent or carer. Educational intervention can play a key role in helping.
However before parents and guardians lay down the law they need to be acutely aware that the example they set is one that won’t be seen as hypocritical by the younger folk.
We suggest you all take the “on-line screening” test separately and or indeed with your children and make sure you have an accurate assessment of your own drinking.
Then it is suggested that parents and guardians:-
•Take a tough line with regard to alcohol to hinder problems developing later.
•Discourage as unacceptable unsupervised drinking, drink parties, and clandestine drinking.
•Lead by example and set a family code around alcohol.
•Print off this leaflet and go through it with the children.
•Affirm low-volume drinking and non-drinking.
•Challenge the happy clappy nature of how alcohol is presented in ads.
Further helpful information can be resourced here:
Excellent printable leaflets from Alcohol Focus Scotland
Highly recommended Irish site on effective interventions for young people at risk.
An overview of teenage problem drinking.
Also check out the “HELP” section on this site.
© alcoholresponse.com 2010
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