General

Should teens drink at home?

Parents who let their kids drink might fuel binging

According to England’s chief medical officer, parents who allow their children to drink alcohol at home might be increasing the chances of future drinking problems. Parents might think this readies them for adulthood, but that’s “misguided,” Sir Liam Donaldson told the BBC, as new evidence shows this could lead to binge drinking later in life. Official guidelines in the UK now say children under 15 should drink no alcohol, and those under 17 should drink only with supervision, even though parents and care givers can legally give children alcohol from age five on. A major publicity campaign is expected to be launched in England in January. “We know that adults who drink sensibly tend to pass these habits on and that some families choose to introduce alcohol to their children younger than 15 in a supportive environment,” Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians and chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, said.

BBC News

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