Allowing Teens to Drink at Home Can Lead to Heavier Use Later

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by Drug and Alcohol Testing Association of Canada.

According to the results of a new study, parents allowing adolescents to consume alcoholic drinks — or even just letting them taste alcohol — can lead to heavier drinking and alcohol-related issues later in life. The study, published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, also determined that the exact age of adolescents when their parents allowed them to drink alcohol did not matter—suggesting a “uniform risk effect” of parental permission to drink. “Even sipping/tasting in early adolescence … is predictive of heavy drinking and alcohol-related harms in young adulthood,” the study states.

In her interview with CBS News, clinical psychologist Lisa Damour said there are many families that allow their children to try alcohol at a young age. “But on balance, what the data tell us is that this is not necessarily the right choice. And what it can do is it can normalize the idea of underage drinking, which is not something we want to do,” Damour said. “It’s not the harm reduction approach we thought it is,” she said.

She also noted that children learn about drinking alcohol from watching their parents at home, so parents should “model a healthy relationship with alcohol.” “I think it’s also important to recognize: kids make mistakes,” Damour added. “I think it’s important for us to say to kids, ‘Look, we don’t want you drinking. It is not safe. It’s not good for your developing brain. And, if you need us, if you’re in a risky situation, we’re your first call. We will never make you sorry that you reached out for help.”

Source: Drug and Alcohol Testing Association of Canada
https://datac.ca/allowing-teens-to-drink-at-home-can-lead-to-heavier-use-later-study/