'Rebel' teens rejecting Australia's binge drinking culture
A new generation of rebellious teens are rejecting Australia's booze culture, a new study shows.
Drinking rates among teenagers have halved from 56 per cent to just 28 per cent in a decade, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
When it comes to “risky drinking” - having more than four drinks in one sitting - just nine per cent of teens are hitting the bottle, citing alcohol-fueled violence and negative health consequences as deterrents.
The rate of “binge drinking” in teens, where more than 11 drinks are consumed in a session, has also halved from 10.6 per cent to 5.5 per cent in the past 10 years.
National Drug Research Institute alcohol expert Steve Allsop told News Corp the sharp declines could mean teens are rebelling against Australia’s booze mentality.
“There is a generational thing where teenagers don’t want to be like their parents,’’ Professor Allsop said.
“Some young people have been affected by images of drunkenness and violence, and they don’t want to be in that space.’’
He also cited a shift in active teens opting out of drinking during the sport season.
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“More teenagers have become aware of the health consequences, and sport is really important to them,’’ he said.
“Also, we’re seeing more young people living at home for longer, with very little financial independence, and they might behave quite differently than if they lived in a shared house.
“Some parents have got the message and are not providing alcohol.’’
Professor Allsop commented that youths from migrant cultures where drinking was banned, could also play a major part in the declining rates.
The AIHW report backs up this theory, revealing migrants from non-English speaking countries were less likely to drink than English-speaking Australians.
The culture shift has also carried over to adults, with 25 per cent preferring not to drink, up from 15 per cent in 2004, the study revealed.
Almost half of Australians aged 18 to 24 were occasional binge drinkers, while one in five adults abstained.
