A British Broadcast News (BBC) article on February 16, 2010, reported on results from an underage drinking study that was commissioned by the Department for Children, Families, and Schools. The purpose of the study was to investigate parental and youth attitudes and use of alcohol. Analysis of data from 4,000 interviews with parents, children, and young people, revealed that parents underestimate the influence their own drinking habits have on their children’s attitude to alcohol, and that about half of the young people who have drunk alcohol were given it by their parents. According to the article, the data suggested children from heavy-drinking households are more likely to use alcohol themselves. This and other research has led the chief medical officer for England to advise parents/guardians that an alcohol-free childhood is the best option; but if children do drink alcohol, they should not do so before the age of 15. The “Why Let Drink Decide?” campaign is one attempt of the government to curb underage drinking, along with new funds for police enforcement, the development of a best practice guide for local authorities, and provision of positive alternatives to drinking for youth. For more information on this study and the country’s reaction to the findings, click here.
