Alcoholics Anonymous Reviews

Parents are being blamed for alarming binge drinking rates in teenagers with figures showing that mums and dads are supplying almost 40 per cent of underage drinkers.

Families are under fire from leading health authorities following the release of the data that shows parents are the most common source of alcohol with 37 per cent of youth aged 12 to 17 indicating their parents gave them their last drink.

Researchers say parents' relaxed attitude is setting up their children as alcoholics with an 84 per cent rise in the number of teenagers hospitalised as psychiatric patients for alcohol dependence over a six-year period.

Worryingly, the proportion of underage drinkers who admitted their mother or father was their supplier was higher among teens aged 12 to 15 at 39 per cent, compared with 35 per cent of youth aged 16-17.

The figures, from the Australian Secondary School Students Use of Alcohol in 2005 report, commissioned by the Federal Government, said 90 per cent of young people aged over 14 had consumed alcohol and about half of the teenagers aged 16 and 17 surveyed admitted to being regular drinkers.

The report said about 11 per cent of Australians aged 18-24 were alcohol dependent, while the latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare figures show the number of people aged 15-19 hospitalised as psychiatric patients for alcohol dependence has risen from 281 in 1998-99 to 518 in 2003-04.

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre's Paul Dillon said teens weren't stealing alcohol from liquor cabinets.

NDARC, Australia's leading alcohol and drug advisory body, is calling on the Federal Government to fund alcohol guidelines and an education campaign for parents.

"We have safe drinking guidelines and drinking and driving guidelines but when it comes to young people and drinking we don't give parents any idea about what they should and shouldn't do," Mr Dillon said. "We need to and it's crucial we do this really quickly."

Mr Dillon said recent research proved early drinkers are at significantly increased risk of turning into alcoholics later in life.

The Courier-Mail