It is no longer seen as ''safe'' for families to allow their teenagers an occasional drink.
WHEN the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines on drinking alcohol were released earlier this year, some parents were surprised to discover that sharing the occasional beer or glass of wine with their teenagers might be dangerous. ''Parents and carers should be advised that children under 15 years of age are at the greatest risk of harm from drinking and that for this age group, not drinking alcohol is especially important,'' says guideline three. ''For young people aged 15-17 years, the safest option is to delay the initiation of drinking for as long as possible.''
This was a significant change. The previous 2001 guidelines had recommended under-18s not drink above the levels suggested for adults. The new advice challenged entrenched ideas about what sensible drinking means. In many Australian households, parents occasionally serve alcohol to their children as a way of teaching them how to enjoy a drink responsibly. Could it really be safer to ban under-age drinking in the home altogether and allow them to find their own way once they turn 18? . . . . . .
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