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Source: Reuters -
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There is support for guidelines in New Zealand similar to ones issued in the United Kingdom advising parents that children under 15 should never be given alcohol.
Researchers say it's just too dangerous.
The question what's your poison? is often heard when hitting the town.
Authorities in the UK say alcohol really is a poison, especially if you start drinking too young.
"The liver can be damaged. The sex hormones could be reduced. The growth hormones can be reduced," says Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England.
So in a bid to reduce youth drinking and scenes like these, Lord Donaldson has issued guidelines to parents saying those under 15 should never be given alcohol or they would be at risk of serious harm.
Sixteen-year-old Ali is an extreme example of an underage drinker. He started when he was 10.
He says he could drink a carton of alcohol on a weekend "because I can drink myself dead."
It's a global problem. Children as young as 11 have been treated at Wellington Hospital's emergency department. Many alcohol-related admissions were girls aged about 14.
"That's the problem. They're starting sooner, they're drinking
more, it's more potent and they're doing it more often. And they
are much much younger," says Murray Trenberth, a Welltrust youth
drug and alcohol counsellor.
He supports similar guidelines in New Zealand, even as strict as
those reported to be introduced soon in Australia, which warn there
is no safe consumption level for children under 18.
Start drinking any alcohol before the age of 15, you're five times more likely to become a heavy drinker, abusive, abuse drink, or even an alcoholic later in life.
This may be a global problem, yet New Zealand's Health Minister
and his officials seem happy to let the UK and Australia take the
lead, and reluctant to tell parents what to do.
They turned down ONE News requests for interviews, saying little
more than they will be looking with interest at the international
research.
"I think it's timely to have a discussion around is there an age that New Zealand would like to be giving advice and direction to parents. But ultimately parents are responsible for bringing up their children. But we need good information to make the decisions as a parent," says Gerard Vaughan of the Alcohol Liquor Advisory Council.
Information but no hard words of advice are being given on the issue in New Zealand.
