Parents urged to cut out ‘safe’ teen tipples

CHILDREN given alcohol by parents in the belief it will foster responsible drinking are more likely to become binge drinkers, a study has found.

The six-year analysis of nearly 2,000 12- to 18-yearolds revealed there were “no benefits” to introducing alcohol to teenagers at home and that doing so only encouraged them to seek it elsewhere.

Writing in The Lancet, the researchers say that despite a widespread belief that a glass of wine shared with parents over Sunday lunch or a quiet beer in the evening promotes a stable attitude to drinking, there is no reliable evidence to back this up.

Instead, they show that the likelihood of binge drinking, alcohol-related harm or displaying symptoms of alcohol use disorder are all higher in children provided alcohol by parents.

Experts said the study’s findings “strongly refute” the accepted wisdom.

“While governments focus on prevention through school-based education and enforcement of legislation on legal age for buying and drinking alcohol, parents go largely unnoticed,” said Prof Richard Mattick, from the University of New South Wales, who led the research.

“Parents, policymakers, and clinicians need to be made aware that parental provision of alcohol is associated with risk, not with protection.

“We advise that parents should avoid supplying alcohol to their teenagers if they wish to reduce their risk of alcohol-related harms.”