A new report on youth drinking shows that New Zealand teenagers are drinking a lot more, doing it more often and increasingly driving drunk.
The Drug Foundation says it is all part of the trickle down effect that it feared when the drinking age was lowered to 18 years.
Teens as young as 14 are drinking between four to seven additional drinks per session and are drinking more often - consuming enough to feel drunk at least once a month.
And arrests for disorderly behaviour and drink driving are increasing with 2,400 under-19s prosecuted last year - the highest number in a decade.
But the government says it cannot all be blamed on a lower drinking age
"What the survey shows is that the jury is still out on whether lowering the drinking age has had a significantly negative effect on abuse of alcohol by young people," Justice Minister Phil Goff said.
The government is looking at a tax on so-called "pocket money drinks" to make them less attractive to young people.
Pocket money drinks, or alco-pops, are trendy and easy to drink because they taste like fizzy drink and are attractive colours. They are also portable and reasonably inexpensive.
"These products are actually aimed at young people, right from logo's branding and advertising," Louise McCarthey social worker said.
Police have clamped down on the sale of liquor to minors and liquor bans are now in place in six centres in a bid to reduce youth offending over the high risk nights.
