Responsible Drinking in Teenagers

Are you a parent asking yourself how to teach your teenager responsible alcohol consumption? Have you wished for a good reason to tell them not to be allowed to drink, because of their religion or maybe even an illness? Have you considered inviting your teenager to have a drink with you at home as the first step? Or do you feel their friends and classmates will do that early enough anyway? 

As the mother of three adolescents between 16 and 20 years, I have asked myself those very question many times.

Did you know that Switzerland is amongst the top alcohol consumers worldwide? Particularly, that alcohol consumption amongst adolescents and young adults is increasing steadily; a minority of 11 percent of the Swiss population under 15 years consumes roughly 50% of the overall alcohol consumption. And this, despite the fact that the Swiss Bestimmungen zum Jugendschutz (Act on the protection of minors in public) does not allow teenagers under the age of 16 years to buy alcoholic beverages, and adolescents under the age of 18 years to purchase spirits. The laws do not prohibit alcohol consumption but only the purchase of alcohol.

A few basic facts about alcohol:

• Alcohol is a so-called cytotoxin – a substance toxic for body cells, for example in the brain, heart muscle and liver, and is a major cause of cancer.
• Alcohol does not belong in children’s hands. Their organs are not fully developed and children therefore react a lot more sensitively to cytotoxins.
• It is the intoxicating component of alcoholic beverages which is measured in percentage by volume.
• Swiss food laws require beverages and food containing more than 0.5% alcohol to be labelled.

Parents are important role models to guard their children against abuse of alcohol. Being a good role model does not mean that you are not allowed to consume any alcohol, but  alcohol should be treated as something special, reserved for special occasions and not as a part of your daily diet. Furthermore, demonstrate that there are certain situations when alcohol is taboo: at work or in school, when driving, when taking specific medications or during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

It is equally important to talk to your child or teenager about alcohol, even if you think he or she is still far away from this topic. In our society, drinking alcohol is part of daily life. Your child is exposed to alcohol consumption regularly: at home, on television or through advertising. That is why many families do not specifically discuss alcohol any further. Talk to your child about alcohol consumption in his sports’ club or the music group he or she is a member of. Ask your child whether he knows the rules for alcohol and whether coaches, other adults or teenagers drink alcohol at a club’s events or outings.

As a family, talk about risks and dangers of alcohol consumption during adolescence and set clear rules about it. Even if you drink alcohol, you can still set limits for your child. Delay your child’s first alcohol consumption as long as possible. You can use the age limits of the act on the protection of minors in public. While it is a good idea to let your child consume alcohol the first time while under your supervision, do not encourage your child “to try it out” just because he or she is with you.

The best prevention though is to help your child become a strong, confident young adult, who is responsible for his own actions. Provide a safe environment for your child. Here are some suggestions to create such a safe environment:

1. Give your child some leeway, always keeping his age in mind while showing interest and emphasise that you are there when he needs you.

2. Ask about your child’s friends. Allow your son or daughter to invite his or her friends to your home. If there is a friend who you don’t like, do not criticise the person as a whole but point out specific behaviours you do not agree with.

3. Be positive when your child wants to go out with friends. Ask your child where he’s going, and who he will meet. In the case where nothing is planned, ask your child to send you the occasional text message. It is your child’s responsibility to abide by such an agreement, including calling if something happens and to charge his mobile phone before going out.

4. It is up to your teenager to decide how an evening out with friends ends but you can help by setting some simple rules:

• don’t drink any hard liquor, including schnapps, alcopops and cocktails
• don’t drink directly out of a bottle
• after every alcoholic drink, drink one glass of water
• don’t drink more than three alcoholic drinks
• don’t participate in drinking games or contests
• or, do not drink any alcohol.

5. Agree on a set time when your child has to be home. Discuss the consequences if your child comes home later than agreed. Stick to the consequences you have agreed on.

6. Ensure a safe journey home: explain that for under 21-year-old drivers, a zero percent alcohol limit applies. Road traffic accidents under alcohol influence are a major cause of deaths in adolescents. Find a solution for the case that, if against all agreements, alcohol was consumed by the driver, you are then willing to pay for the taxi or to pick up your child.

7. If your child stays at a friend’s house after a party, confirm with the other parents that this is ok and that they will also be there.

8. Talk to your child. Ask your child after an evening out or a party what it was like.

Finally, contact your child’s school about implementing a prevention programme. There are many “freedom of substance abuse programmes” which can be booked for schools.

By Dr Luitgard Holzleg.

Dr. Luitgard Holzleg is founder and owner of Healthy And Safe Away From Home, offering internationally recognised first aid and CPR training courses for interested individuals, teenagers, schools and corporations. Visit www.healthyandsafe.ch for more information.

Illustration by Albina Nogueira

Albina Nogueira has been a primary school teacher since 1992, and a writer and illustrator since 2006. She currently lives in Switzerland, but her homeland is Portugal. She is also the author of Letters to Grandparents and  Hairdresser. To find out more: like her on  https://www.facebook.com/albina.silva.165    or see her books in Amazon.