Understanding alcohol and drug use in kids and teens
For children and young people under the age of 18, there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. This is why it is recommended children under 18 years do not consume alcohol.
Alcohol use in the home
Research suggests that even with supervised alcohol consumption in the home, early alcohol use can lead to harmful drinking practices both in adolescence and later in life.
The Australian guidelines to reduce health-related risk from drinking alcohol for those over 18 suggest:
- Lifetime risks: any person consuming alcohol should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week, and
- Single occasion risk: any person consuming alcohol should drink no more than 4 standard drinks on any one-day.
Binge drinking is consuming alcohol at very high levels on a single occasion. Young people aged 16-24 are twice as likely binge drink compared to all other population groups. Every drink an adolescent or young person doesn’t consume, lowers their risk of health-related harm from alcohol.
Parents and carers play an important role in shaping how your child views and uses alcohol. By role modelling safe drinking habits, you can help set a positive example.
Did you know?
There is no safe level of drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a known carcinogen, meaning it has the potential to cause cancer. The best way to reduce the risk of harm is by not drinking.
Alcohol consumption is a known cause of cancer. Drinking alcohol increases a person’s risk of being diagnosed with the following seven types of cancer:
- breast cancer
- liver cancer
- mouth cancer
- throat cancer
- oesophagus cancer
- bowel cancer and
- stomach cancer.
Standard drink calculator
Learn how many standard drinks are in common glasses.