Latest study findings show that adolescents offered alcohol by someone other than their parents are six times more likely to drink to excess. The research comes from Deakin University and has made the Australian Drug Foundation tighten laws across Australia, making it illegal to give children alcohol without their parents' permission.
The foundation’s chief executive, John Rodgerson revealed that New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania are the only states where it is not legal for adults to provide alcohol to young people on private property. He added, “Currently in most states of Australia, it’s not an offence to do that… So what we’re really calling for now is for the other states to really get on board and really put the same legislation that these other states have got.” He said, “We believe children in Victoria, South Australia, the ACT, Western Australia and the Northern Territory are at greater risk of alcohol-related harms without this legislation.”
The study authors questioned nearly 4,000 children aged between 10 and 14 on underage drinking. The key findings showed that children who got alcohol from people other than parents are up to six times more likely to binge drink, and adolescents reporting the presence of family conflict were more likely to obtain alcohol from a person other than a parent. The more friends a child has who drink alcohol, the more likely that child was to obtain alcohol from people other than a parent.
Mr. Rogerson said, “We know that when young people binge drink, they are more at risk of harms such as sexual assault, injury or even death… It can also set children up for a lifetime of heavy drinking.” “Medical researchers advise that alcohol can cause irreparable damage to the developing brain and children should be encouraged to delay drinking… We need stricter laws to protect our children from the harms associated with drinking alcohol, particularly as adolescence is such a critical time for brain development,” he concluded.
Deakin University's school of psychology would release a paper detailing the findings in the near future.
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