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Algoma Public Health

REPORT: Alcohol & Youth

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% of students who drank alcohol in the last 12 months

Percentage of students who drank in the last 12 months

Last 12 months

Binge drinking

About 17% of students report consuming 5 or more drinks on one occasion in the past month.

 

Tips for parents: tips on how to get you through the teen years

  • Spend quality time together as a family. Allow your child to talk and ask questions²
  • Role model² - take a look at Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and review your own alcohol consumption: 
    • Do you know what a standard drink is?
    • Do you glamorize alcohol by accident? (e.g. “wine night with the ladies”)
    • Do you drink when you are stressed or when you need to relax?
  • Get social - get to know your child’s friends and the parents of those friends
  • Encourage your child to tell you where they are going - help develop a plan to keep them safe (e.g. designated driver, contact number to call in case of an emergency)

Underage drinking increases the risk of:2,3

  • Alcohol dependency later in life
  • Drunk driving
  • Violence
  • Drowning
  • Sexual assault 

Spotlight on Alcohol Liability & Youth: What Parents Need to Know!

Your daughter, who is of  legal drinking age, wants to have a graduation party for her friends at the family camp. Past events at the camp have been pretty wild, with lots of drinking and unrestrained conduct. However, your daughter promises that she won’t let people drive if they have had too much to drink.
 
Do you say ‘Yes” or “No” and WHY?

Parents need to be aware that they have a big responsibility not only to their own children, but to other children if they’re thinking about providing alcohol and/or not supervising parties. A person who holds parties for minors where alcohol is present is liable for any crimes and injuries related to alcohol consumption, and may face criminal charges or be sued. It’s illegal to buy alcohol for a minor.

Never providing a minor with alcohol is an important part of protecting both yourself and the minor from potentially devastating consequences.

However, the fact that you did not supply the alcohol does not mean you have no responsibility. Social host liability is an evolving area of the law and hosts may not be able to avoid responsibility just because they did not actually provide the alcohol.  Allowing underage drinking in your home or on your property or failing to ensure proper supervision for teen parties may render you responsible for any negligent act committed by the minor.

Even if your children and their friends are of legal drinking age you may still be considered responsible for crimes or injuries related to alcohol consumption in your home or on your property. Remember to talk to your children about responsible hosting!

Learn more: http://www.deflatetheelephant.com/


References:

1. Boak, A., Hamilton, H. A., Adlaf, E. M., & Mann, R. E. (2017). Drug use among Ontario students. 1977-2017: Detailed findings from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSHUHS) (CAMH Research Document Series No. 46). Toronto, ON: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Available from: http://www.camh.ca/en/research/news_and_publications/ontario-student-drug-use-and-health-survey/Documents/2017%20OSDUHS%20Documents/Detailed_DrugUseReport_2017OSDUHS.pdf


2. Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and Addiction. (2014). Youth and Alcohol. Available from: http://www.ccdus.ca/Resource%20Library/CCSA-Youth-and-Alcohol-Summary-2014-en.pdf


3. Canadian Public Health Association. (2016). The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada, 2015: Alcohol Consumption in Canada. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/chief-public-health-officer-reports-state-public-health-canada/2015-alcohol-consumption-canada.html4. Public legal Education Association. Legal Information for Everyone . In the Mix: House Parties. August 18, 2011.5. Parent Action on Drugs 2013. Teens, Partying and Alcohol Poisoning A PAD Backgrounder

 

4. Public legal Education Association. Legal Information for Everyone . In the Mix: House Parties. August 18, 2011.

5. Parent Action on Drugs 2013. Teens, Partying and Alcohol Poisoning A PAD Backgrounder

 

Created:   December 9, 2015

Modified: May 15, 2018