Teenage Drinking

Teenage Drinking

Teenage drinking in Australia is becoming a significant problem, causing many sociological issues including the prevalence of younger drinkers, increased levels of addiction and the resultant economic difficulties.

It is illegal in most states and territories for someone under the age of eighteen to buy or drink alcohol but the average age for someone to start experimenting with alcohol is fifteen. Around 90 per cent of Australian teenagers over the age of 14 years have tried alcohol at least once. Binge drinking, drink driving and unsafe sex can all result from the misuse of alcohol; it is the main cause of injury and death among young people.

Teenage drinking can cause many sociological problems for young people. Joshua Blake stated in the Sydney Morning Herald (August 26, 2010) ‘We have created a culture where young people who do not get drunk and party hard on a regular basis are considered abnormal. I'm up against a social expectation that assumes I regularly partake in binge-drinking events’. These beliefs and the influence of peer pressure are the main contributors to teenage drinking. The sociological problems associated with binge drinking include: violence, anti-social behaviour, unsafe sex, social embarrassment and unwanted pregnancy.

Teenage drinking can start out as harmless experimentation but can quickly and quite often turn into an addiction that can lead to economic problems in the future. The annual cost to the Australian community in 2004-05 of alcohol-related social problems was estimated at $15.3 billion and has steadily increased since then. The economic problems of an alcohol addict can greatly decrease their chances of owning their own home, having an acceptable level of income, having adequate employment and being able to provide for their family.

The short term health and safety effects of binge drinking include

·  Hangover

·  Nausea

·  Headache

·  Shakiness

·  Vomiting and memory loss

·  Injury to yourself

·  Alcohol poisoning

·  Hurting someone else

The long term effects of binge drinking:

·  Physical and psychological dependence on alcohol

·  Significant damage to the brain or liver

·  Risk of emotional or mental health problems developing

·  Problems at school, work or in relationships

Teenage drinking is a serious problem in Australia today, and the legal age limit does not appear to be effectively applied. There is a need for better education on the effects of drinking alcohol, better supervision by parents and the general community, better support systems for younger people and a general shift in the cultural acceptance of heavy and widespread consumption of alcohol in Australia.

References

Alcohol the Facts, n.d reach out Australia

URL: http://www.tuneinnotout.com

Binge Drinking, 2011, Reach out Australia

URL: http://au.reachout.com

Don’t turn a night out into a nightmare, n.d Australian Government: Department of health and aging.

URL: http://www.drinkingnightmare.gov.au

Blake,J. “My name is Australia and I’m an alcoholic”. The Sydney Morning Herald, August 26 2010