Teenagers with large allowances are more likely to become problem drinkers. British researchers studied more than 10,000 teenagers - fifteen to sixteen years old, and found that teens with larger allowances were more likely to drink frequently, binge or drink on street corners and other public places. The large majority of the teenagers in the study had tried alcohol at some point. But risky drinking was particularly common among teenagers with more pocket money, presumably because they were better able to buy their own alcohol. About one-third of teens in the study said they bought their own alcohol, and they were six times more likely than their peers to drink in public places, three times more likely to drink frequently and twice as likely to binge on a regular basis. The study suggests that parents could help curb problem drinking by keeping tabs on how their children spend their money. The results also call for better enforcement of laws prohibiting sale of alcohol to minors. Besides risk factors for problem drinking, the study also identified some protective factors like teens, who drank alcohol with their parents in a family setting were less likely to binge or drink in other particularly risky ways. By the age of 14 most children in the UK have drank some alcohol, and they are either learning to drink it from parents in a secure home environment or from peers in a park, bar or on a street corner. Teens who learn from their parents may be learning how to drink moderately and responsibly. Parents may be able to lower the odds of problem drinking by talking to their teenagers about 'how to and how not to' drink alcohol. But they should also make sure they know how their kids are spending their money. In this study, teens whose parents gave them more than 10 pounds (roughly Rs 800) each week were more likely to use alcohol in particularly risky ways.
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Policy,
May 2007