Victorian Secondary Supply Laws

This very much overdue legislation will empower both parents and teens to be able to better stand against the peer pressure some apply around alcohol consumption. For a full brief go to...

http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/teendrinkinglaw

For a comprehensive look at current Liquor and licensing laws visit the 'Responsible Alcohol Victoria' site...

http://responsiblealcohol.vic.gov.au/wps/portal/rav

on this site you can...

Track where licences are and who has them.

What applications are in the pipe line.

What the current legislation is and what is happening.

News, Views and Social Cues?

Issue: Drinking Guidelines, what drinking guidelines?

The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) hosted the Out of sight, out of mind: Australia’s alcohol guidelines public seminar this month.

It has been nearly three years since the release and promotion of the current NHMRC drinking guidelines and according to the research, little has been the impact of the ‘guidelines’ on the Aussie drinking culture. The ‘guidelines’ recommend no more than 4 standard drinks in a 6 hour period before putting yourself at risk. Yet a 2010 survey/evaluation conducted by Michael Livingston of Turning Point yielded some disturbing results;

1. 40% or men and 45% of women couldn’t even estimate what ‘low risk’ drinking may look like
2. 15% of men estimated about 11 drinks per sitting as the recommendation
3. 20% women estimated 6 or more drinks in one sitting
4. Average estimation for teenagers was 9 + drinks per sitting
5. Of the other respondents only 5% got close to the guidelines ¹

Whilst that was concerning, there was some ‘silver-lining’, with women in general being more conservative about estimating limits, including about 10% of women stating they thought no drinks per day was low risk. It would appear the ladies are paying a little more attention. This was also borne out around guideline 4 concerning alcohol consumption and pregnancy. According to Professor Carol Bower a survey conducted on Health Care Professionals (HCP) on engaging women/pregnancy/alcohol produced the following results.

1. 90% of women in child bearing age agree drinking during pregnancy could damage the baby.
2. 91% of women surveyed felt HCP should advise women to stop drinking during pregnancy
3. 98% of HCP had recommended no alcohol during pregnancy
4. However, 32% women stated the would continue to drink during pregnancy
5. 47% of women alcohol before pregnancy was confirmed, after confirmation went to 19.5%
6. However, 90% of <25 y.o. women stopped drinking when pregnancy was confirmed. ²

Any learning facilitator understands ‘information alone does not change behaviour’ and if the current guidelines are to have any increased impact on current drinking trends, some key additions will need to be made.

Stronger promotion of the guidelines with a far more conservative approach to use to minimise ‘guidelines’ becoming the ‘benchmark’ for drinking.

Information to be couched/promoted in the context of harms done by ethanol to different demographics including long term impact for older consumers and Heavy Episodic Consumption impact on the developing brain of the young.

More aggressive promotion of abstinence based options including focus on alcohol free days and delay of uptake of any alcohol consumption.

Communications Liaison – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

^1. The 2009 NHMRC Guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol” Does anyone know about them? By Michael Livingston -Turning Point
^2. Alcohol and pregnancy guidelines: What does the evidence tell us? Prof Carol Bower - Telethon Institute of Child Health and Research.

Booze and teenagers-Prof John Toumbourou puts the Myths to Bed

Assumption One: 'It's hypocritical to not let my drink when you were drinking at my age!'

We are a lot better educated these days about he dangers of drinking, just like cigarettes smoking and not wearing seat-belts. We know all those things now are really risky and we wouldn't encourage them. So we're not being hypocritical, it's just that we're better informed.

Assumption Two: 'Kids mature physcially and mentally at different ages, so some are ready to handle alcohol at 16.'

Based on the matuity argument, the legal drinking age should be lifted to 21 because the brain develops into young adulthood. The brain isn't really ready for alcohol at 18...rules are rules and some of those rules are set by age.

Assumption Three: 'Alcohol is safe for kids ages 16+ when drunk in moderation.'

"INCORRECT! Recent Victorian studes show many 16-17 year olds who drink in moderation devleop alcohol problems in thier early 20's. Other research showe young drinkers are more vulnerable to the changes in brain structure caused by alcohol. These changes increase tolerance for alcohol, leading to increased intake and greater desire to drink in later life. They often develop a greater thirst for alcohol when they become adapted to it, but it's having a much greater destructive effect than it does on adults. The young person's brain is still developing and it's vulnerable to poisons."

Assumption Four: 'Parents will know what and how much their teenager is drinking if they supply the alcohol.'

"Teens given alcohol by parents are more likely to use theise drinks to kick off a binge. Young people tell us they drink the alcohol thier parents supply and then they drink other alcohol outside the parent's watch because the goal of drinking at that age isn't to drink moderately, it's to become intoxicated. Parents who refuse to supply alcohol have more succes in curbing thier child's drinking...So where parents set a hardline and refuse to supply alcohol, often the children rebel by drinking once or twice behond their back. With the partnes who allow alcohol the child has to come home absolutely smashed in order to rebel."

Assumption Five: 'Drinking helps you fit in, is fun and gives you more confidence.'

"Kids don't need alcohol to have a good time and fit in, despite impressions created by alcohol marketing. Kds who don't drink perform better at school and develop stronger social and emotional skills, whole those who drink become more dependent on alcohol for their enjoyment. Oftne when they reach their 20's they're absolutely dependent on alcoho to have any fun. That's why alcohol dependence is so high at the moment in young adults. Bluff and bravado around drinking gives teens the impression all their peers are doing it. But in reality more health-conscious kids in early secondary school are choosing not to drink and are relieved when their parents set a 'no alcohol' rule.'   (Hearlad Sun, Monday March 5th 2012)