Teenage binge drinking

Young people's attitudes to alcohol are positive, access is easy for adults and older friends purchase it for them. Excessive alcohol consumption has been found to be associated with learning difficulties and reduced ability to make decisions. According to surveys 15-16 year olds more than a third had been drunk at least once a month. Sober eighteen years of age was around ten percent. 14% of 14 year olds were real-drunk once a month or more, among 16 year olds it was 32%. In Finland, consumption of alcohol is the largest in the Nordic countries. We believe that young people are drinking too much. Parents should have more control over their children’s alcohol use.

We made a little gallup in our school and interviewed two pupils.
This is how they answered.

1. Why do you drink or why don't you?
2. What is decent drinking in your opinion?
3. Do your parents know about your drinking?
4. Have you ever had to take care of a drunk friend? Have they had to take care of you?
5. How much money do you spend on drinking in a month?

Boy:
1. It’s fun.
2. A sixpack.
3. No.
4. Yes, yes.
5. 20 euros.

Girl:
1.When you drink it’s more fun and you feel braver.
2. A sixpack.
3. Yes.
4. No, yes.
5. 40 euros.

14% of 9th graders in our school have drunk for the first time before the age of thirteen.
36% have drunk so much that they pass out.
51% of the 9th graders don’t drink at all, 29% drink max. three times a month and 21% drink more than three times.

http://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/200812178787923_uu.shtml

http://www.suomenash.fi/fi/alkoholi+suomessa/nuorten+alkoholin+kaytto+2009

http://www.neuvoa-antavat.stakes.fi/FI/kehittaminen/tyovalineet/nuoret_1.htm

http://www.iltalehti.fi/elintavat/200907039875360_el.shtml