Underage Drinking a Growing Problem in Australia

Australia has a drinking problem. More than 25 percent of 15-year-olds are binge drinking until they pass out, according to a news post. Taking in so much alcohol – especially at a young age – is likely to ensure brain damage.

Research into this area also revealed that more than one third of 11-year-old boys have consumed alcohol. Brain development experts are becoming alarmed, claiming an entire generation of young people is destroying their chance of reaching their full potential. In fact, cases of alcohol-related harm overall in Victoria have risen 77 percent from 1995 to 2005.

Many are pointing to liberal licensing laws as the cause of this epidemic of alcohol-fuelled injury and violence. As a result, family groups and adolescent experts are calling for the legal drinking age to be raised to 21.

Victoria Police statistics found that assaults in Melbourne rose 44 percent to close to 2,500 cases a year. Cases for hospitalization due to alcohol-related harm more than doubled from 11,571 to 23,144 between 1995 and 2005. In addition, the number of licensed premises in Victoria increased from 2,000 to 24,000.

Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg, adolescent psychologist, believes a rise in the drinking age is long overdue and cited the decrease in alcohol-related harm that occurred when the age was raised in Washington D.C.

Gabrielle Walsh, a spokeswoman for the Australian Family Association, asked for controls to be put on the spread of licensed venues. She also recommended a consideration in moving the legal drinking age to 21.

The concern for underage drinking – especially underage binge drinking – is very real. Already there has been a sharp rise in the number of women in their 20s being diagnosed with alcohol-acquired brain injury.

Tags: alcohol, teens, young adults