Need to stop underage drinking
‘Pens down’ parties
THE recent incident in Port Elizabeth where pupils went on a drinking spree to “wash the paper” (the “pens down” concept) must be a serious concern to everyone in society.
It is unfortunate that pupils would decide to celebrate finishing examinations by indulging in alcohol.
The incident in Port Elizabeth is not an isolated one.
It would appear that this is ubiquitous behaviour among high school pupils.
Regrettably, the short- or long-term consequences that emanate from underage alcohol consumption are astounding in their range and magnitude, affecting adolescents, the family and society as a whole.
Perhaps one must start by conveying heartfelt words of condolences to the families who lost their children when the taxi allegedly drove into the pupils who were apparently partying on the road outside the Eyethu Night Club in Port Elizabeth (“Taxi mows down teens”, July 3).
It is unbearable to hear that while the pupils were drinking a taxi allegedly drove into them and hit six of them, killing two girls.
It is undoubtedly an immensely atrocious experience for parents in particular who have certain expectations for their children.
Clearly, the South African law prohibits selling of alcohol to underage people (under 18 years) or pupils, even if they are above 18 years.
Among other things, this law is enforced by ensuring that liquor outlets do not sell alcohol to the underage and if they are found transgressing this legislative requirement, they face the might of the law.
Both the Eastern Cape Liquor Board and SAPS play a vital role in enforcing this law among the liquor outlets, at least. Often liquor outlets are blamed for selling to underage children.
However, it is heartening to hear that Eyethu Night Club had refused pupils entry to the outlet, hence they blocked the road.
This should certainly serve as a good example to those liquor outlets who continue to contravene the law by selling to the underage people.
However, coming back to the incident that happened in Port Elizabeth, the question that baffles everyone’s minds is: why were these pupils not at home at that time of the day?
As a parent, how do you go to bed not knowing your child’s whereabouts?
People would ordinarily ask these questions about this particular incident.
It can be inferred from this incident that parents have not meaningfully played their role in safeguarding their children from these unacceptable behaviours.
A second question relates to where these pupils got the money to buy alcohol. It is ordinarily not a cheap commodity.
More often than not pupils get money from their parents.
A study conducted by the Eastern Cape Liquor Board indicates that one of the reasons why pupils consume alcohol is because of the excessive pocket money they receive from their parents.
Parents must be careful about the amount of money they give to their children because it could influence them to buy alcohol or other drugs.
It would also appear that parents underestimate the prevalence and intensity of alcohol use by their own children.
As reported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), apart from being illegal, underage drinking poses a high risk to both the individual and society.
For example, the rate of alcohol-related traffic crashes is greater for drivers aged 16 to 20 than for drivers age 21 and older.
Adolescents also are vulnerable to alcohol-induced brain damage, which could contribute to poor performance at school.
In addition, underage drinking is associated with an increased likelihood of developing alcohol abuse or dependence later in life.
Inevitably, early intervention is essential to prevent the development of serious alcohol problems among youth between the ages of 12 and 20.
An effective strategic intervention to reduce a behaviour as widely pervasive as underage drinking will largely depend on an unequivocal commitment from a broad array of stakeholders.
If the society is to succeed in promoting abstention or reduced consumption by minors in the province, which has seen a rapid increase in the number of pupils who consume alcohol, the need to do so has to be understood and embraced by many people in a position to reduce drinking among minors.
The “pens down” concept must be unequivocally condemned by everyone in society as it inadvertently perpetuates the scourge of underage drinking.
Parents, society and schools must thoroughly educate pupils that drinking alcohol under the pretext of celebrating the completion of examinations is unacceptable, will expose to them to myriad dangers and will compromise their future.