Uncontrolled access to alcohol at a young age can lead to
harm. Young people lack experience drinking alcohol and as
a result can develop drinking patterns that lead to harms
such as alcohol-related road crashes, violence and injury.
Common methods of accessing alcohol
by young people
Research has shown young people’s access to alcohol
in Australia is relatively easy. The following provides a
list of the most common methods of accessing alcohol reported
by young people in Western Australia.
Parents (36%) were the most common single source of alcohol
for students. Just over two thirds of 12-year-old current
drinkers reported obtaining their last alcoholic drink from
their parents, compared to one third of 14-year-olds and approximately
one in five 17-year-olds.
The next most common method of obtaining alcohol were via
friends (18%) and getting someone else to buy it (16%).
Between 8% and 18% of male and female current drinkers aged
12 to 14 years reported getting their alcohol from home.
The most common retail sources of alcohol included bottle
shops and hotels / pubs / taverns. Overall, 16% of
17-year-old current drinkers reported buying their last alcoholic
drink from a walk-in bottle shop, 8% from a drive-in bottle
shop and 8% from a hotel / pub / tavern.
Alcohol use for young people is risky business. There are
a number of ways we can reduce and prevent harm to young people
accessing alcohol. This can be done in a variety of settings.
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