You are relaxing at home with a glass of wine in one hand and the remote control in the other. Your 15-year-old daughter has one eye on her phone and the other one on your brimming glass of Sauvignon Blanc. "Can I try that, mum?" she asks. You say "No" half-heartedly and then give in. Sure, there's no harm in having a sip, you tell yourself, at least she is having her first drink in the safe confines of her home under your watchful gaze.
But that's where you are wrong, say the experts. While parental tolerance of underage teenage drinking has increased significantly in recent years, research indicates that giving your child alcohol at home or on special occasions under parental supervision is not a safe way to introduce them to it.
Young people who get alcohol from their parents, even small amounts like sips or tastes, are more likely to start drinking at an earlier age, binge drink, experience harm from alcohol, and get more alcohol from other sources such as friends. The younger they are introduced to it and the more they drink, the greater the risk.
One in five 15 to 16-year-olds surveyed in Co Galway and 11 per cent in Galway city got alcohol from a parent, according to a study carried out in 2022 by Planet Youth, a health and wellbeing programme for young people in the west developed by the Western Region Drug and Alcohol Task Force (WRDATF ). While those figures are concerning, it is important to note that the majority of parents do not give alcohol to under 18-year-olds.
The survey further illustrated that 16 per cent of the 15 to 16 year old age group in Galway city and 15 per cent in the county reported being drunk by the age of 14 while 26 per cent in the city and 28 per cent in the county reported being drunk in the last month.
Katie Dunphy, the project manager of the HSE's National Alcohol Programme, which is committed to reducing alcohol harm and consumption, said alcohol is the most widely consumed substance among adolescents - six out of 10 have drank it. As a society, we have normalised drinking and have forgotten the harm it can cause, she stated.
"Alcohol is a toxic substance, it can cause seven different types of cancer. The harmful consequences are wide-ranging from acute harms such as accidents or poisonings to chronic consequences such as dependency, mental health problems, and diseases associated with alcohol use, diabetes, and heart disease. Young people are equally susceptible, if not more, to these harms given that they are more likely to binge drink."
Emotional problems
Ms Dunphy, who was speaking at a recent webinar titled "Under the Influence: Underage Drinking" run by the Galway City Alcohol Forum in conjunction with the Western Region Drug & Alcohol Task Force, said one of her organisation's biggest concerns is the long lasting impact of alcohol on young people's brains. They are still developing and exposure to alcohol can lead to long-term emotional problems and difficulties with learning, planning, and memory.
"It affects the brain throughout the life course," she said. "The range of neurological and non-neurological conditions which alcohol can cause or contribute to is staggering. The use of alcohol at 14 or younger is associated with an increased risk of cocaine use. At 17 years, there is an eight fold increase, at 20, there is a 29 fold increase. Another startling statistic is that it is a leading cause of death in adolescence and young people." These deaths can result from accidents, suicide, or poisoning.
Parents can play a key role in supporting their teenagers to delay drinking. Being a good role model, knowing their friends, having open discussions about alcohol, and educating them about the risks involved, are all helpful strategies. The later young people start drinking, the better for their long-term health and wellbeing. Delaying drinking can help avoid long-term health risks, including the impact of alcohol on brain development and an increased risk of developing cancer in adulthood.
"A lot of parents feel that giving them alcohol at home in a supervised and controlled environment reduces future long-term alcohol use," said Ms Dunphy. "But that is not the case and is not a helpful way of handling it. Every parent goes in with good intentions but they are inadvertently causing more harm. Sips and tastes at home don't stop young people from risky drinking. It is really important to say 'no' and not give them alcohol.
"It is important too to explain why you will not supply your child with alcohol and why you have certain expectations in place. Listen to what your child has to say and keep the lines of communication open."
Research indicates that young people are more likely to have started drinking alcohol at a younger age (12-years-old ) if their parents were tolerant of adolescent drunkenness, supplied alcohol to their children, and did not engage in monitoring or rule setting in relation to alcohol use. Having parents who monitor them and were easily accessible for parental advice protects young people from early alcohol use.
Many parents highlight the importance of fostering honest dialogue about alcohol at home, said Ms Dunphy. They advocate for focusing on informing teenagers about the risks of alcohol rather than enforcing strict abstinence. They believe that realistic discussions on the consequences of drinking alcohol can help teenagers make more informed and responsible decisions.
Safer choices
"We did research, including surveys involving parents, and focus group interviews, to understand what parents need from us. Some things [that came from the research] were really, really good such as the importance of open and honest communication about alcohol in the household, educating children about the risks, and why alcohol is harmful. Parents like to be proactive in introducing alcohol related topics early in an age appropriate way. They believe that normalising discussions over time helps children develop a balanced understanding of alcohol thereby reducing curiosity-driven experimentation. They believe that making the topic approachable reduces the likelihood of secrecy and encourages children to seek guidance, ultimately promoting safer choices.
"The importance of being good role models [came up, too] and not having alcohol at every single opportunity. I've heard the phrase: 'Open a bottle if the cat has kittens'. We would encourage parents not to go: 'I've had the worst day ever, I've got to have a glass of wine'. That way, alcohol is seen as a coping mechanism.
"Parents highlighted the importance of setting a positive example, also, for instance, recognising that children tend to mimic the behaviour they observe. Parents aim to be consistent through their guidelines and their actions by demonstrating moderation and self-control in relation to alcohol."
Ms Dunphy said it is advisable not to provide young people with zero per cent alcohol alternatives. "These can contain up to 0.5 per cent alcohol and may normalise drinking and increase exposure to alcohol brands, leading to greater alcohol use. Research on zero per cent alcohol products is emerging and suggests that they can act as a gateway to alcohol use amongst young people. It was also noted that zero alcohol products contain many of the same potentially harmful ingredients as alcoholic versions. While they lack alcohol, zero-products can still pose health risks due to other toxic ingredients."
How should you react if your underage child has been drinking? "The first thing is not to speak with the young person with alcohol in them. That won't do anybody any good because they are not in the right space to hear it. The best way to deal with the situation is to take a calm, conversational approach. Don't get mad. Explain your boundaries, say you are not comfortable with them consuming alcohol."
Binge drinking or heavy episodic drinking, which is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO ) as consuming six or more standard drinks in one sitting, is of growing concern, according to the project manager of the HSE's National Alcohol Programme. It is a particularly worrying trend among young people, particularly women and students, she said. Twenty two per cent of the population over 15 years are categorised as binge drinkers, according to the Healthy Ireland survey 2022.
