Drinking binges start young people developingunderage drinkinghabits. Binge drinking has many negatives effects including accidents and serious health problems.
In some Australian states, current laws only punish sellers of alcohol to minors in licensed stores and no legal action for those minors drinking in private parties. Parents can now have active role in preventing underage drinking in Victoria with the implementation of a law that will penalize anyone supplying alcoholic drinks to minors in parties or any private premises.
Parents’ role in preventing underage drinking
Many Australians drink alcohol at home as part of their lifestyle. Such social acceptance of drinking and parental modelling is closely linked to growing statistics of underage drinking. (Source: betterhealth.vic.gov.au) Family life is believed to be crucial in preventing problematic social behaviour in children, including underage drinking. Parents are increasingly realizing how their view of alcohol and drinking habits influence their children.
The new law emphasises the primary role of parents in guiding and protecting their children by penalising supply of alcohol in private parties without their consent. The need for parental consent for underage drinking is so important that its absence can result in liability to anyone caught serving alcohol to minors in parties.
The law will punish minors supplying other minors as well, making it imperative for parents to teach their children both health and legal consequences of underage drinking.
Safest alcohol level for minors
Alcohol guidelines set 2 standard drinks per occasion as a safe level of consumption for adults. A standard drink contains at most 10 grams of alcohol, which is usually the level found in a can of light beer, ¾ of a can of regular beer, 1 small glass of wine or a 30 ml shot of spirits. This safe limit, however, cannot apply to underage drinkers due to their low tolerance for alcohol, smaller bodies, lack of experience in drinking and managing their drinks. Parents are strongly advised to delay the initiation of alcohol to children and educate them about:
* the short term and long term health consequences of alcohol
* appropriate ways of drinking such as sipping small amounts accompanied by a meal
* social pressures to drink in parties and how to respond in certain situations
* safety guidelines such as informing parents of whereabouts, making regular calls to parents, not drink driving and avoiding risky behaviour during parties
Parents who host house parties where minors are invited can minimise underage drinking by insisting upon parents’ consent which may be communicated verbally through personal calls or in writing. $7,000 is the maximum fine for offenders.
About the Author:
The Underage Drinking website has been developed by Ovens and King Community Health to promote discussion about underage drinking in Australia with an aim to reduce the risks to our youth.
No comments:
Post a Comment