What young people really think about alcohol

Almost three quarters of underage drinkers do not like being drunk and over two thirds feel ashamed when they drink too much. While that might be a very different picture from the ‘Binge Britain’ headlines we’re all used to seeing in our newspapers, it’s exactly what we found out when we asked 600 15-17 year olds a series of questions around alcohol.

Peer pressure

Over a third (36%) of the young people we interviewed cited peer pressure as their main reason for having drunk alcohol in the last week. But despite young people feeling they need to drink alcohol to fit in with their friends, the majority (61%) of those interviewed only occasionally or rarely drink.

Who young people get alcohol from

From conducting the research we found that family members were by far the main suppliers of alcohol to the 15 to 17 year olds we interviewed. Nearly two thirds (61%) of the interviewees said they had been given alcohol by someone in their family in the last week to drink at home. Two fifths (43%) admitted a family member had provided them with alcohol for either house parties or birthday parties in the last week. 

Where young people go for alcohol advice   

If you’re a parent yourself you might be reassured to know that almost half of the young people we interviewed saw their parents as being their first port of call for advice about the effects of drinking. That’s in comparison to just 8% who’d choose to go to friends for advice.

Other key findings

During the study we also found that:

• 88% of 15 to 17 year olds have drunk alcohol and the age of first drink falls mostly between 13 and 15 years
• more than one in 10 (13%) 15 to 17 year olds drink at home two to three times a week, and almost a fifth (17%) regularly drink in someone else’s home
• 15 to 17 year olds have, on average, drunk 4-5 different types of alcohol, with alcopops, vodka and beer the most common
• almost all (92%) of 15 to 17 year olds don’t like being responsible for other people when they’re drunk
• almost all (95%) of 15 to 17 year olds choose alcoholic drinks they like the taste of.
  

Download and read the full study here

What Drinkaware’s doing

With our study further highlighting the necessary role parents have in shaping their children’s attitudes around alcohol, we’re developing a new range of materials especially for parents. These will include online videos and a leaflet, all designed to offer practical facts and tips to help parents:

• talk to their children about alcohol earlier
• delay their child’s first drink
• keep up conversations around alcohol beyond that first talk.
  

drinkaware.co.uk already has a wealth of alcohol related advice and tips for parents in our dedicated Parents area.

Page last updated by

Unknown, 10 May 2012.

Page checked on

12 May 2011