Parents blamed for growing teenage drink problem

PARENTS are responsible for the spiralling level of teenage drinking in Ireland because they are failing to curb the problem, a survey has revealed.

In nationwide research involving more than 1,000 adults, 68% blamed parents for the country’s high level of teenage alcohol abuse, saying they should be responsible for preventing their teenagers' from drinking.

In the research conducted by the MRBI for on-line magazine Retail Intelligence, publicans were only considered by 45% of those surveyed to be responsible for preventing underage drinking, while just 17% of people placed the blame on off-licence owners.

However, teenagers had a slightly different view with just 33% holding parents responsible for preventing teenage alcohol abuse.

Of the teenagers surveyed, 30% blamed publicans while another 21% blamed off-licence owners.

Teenagers did not feel they had any role in preventing underage drinking with less than 9% believing they had any responsibility in reducing teenage alcohol abuse.

Irish College of General Practitioners project director on patients with alcohol problems Rolande Anderson said it was far too simplistic to place the blame for teenage drinking at the foot of the parents.

“Teenage or underage drinking is a national problem. It is much too easy to blame the parents. Everybody that this issue touches from publicans to the Department of Health has to take responsibility for this growing problem and needs to take corrective action to solve it,” Mr Anderson said.

He believed the issue of marketing alcohol was more important than attributing blame.

“The image that is presented of drinking is huge problem, and parents are as much victims to the marketing spin as young people are. According to marketing, drinking is wonderful, it helps you get the girl or the guy, it’s exotic and makes you cool, suave and sophisticated. The reality is much different,” he said.

Mr Anderson pointed to a European study of drink and drug use among teenagers, which found that Ireland had one of the highest rates of binge drinking in the EU.

Editor of Retail Intelligence Terence Cosgrave said the survey revealed a major problem in society - failure by people to take responsibility for their actions.