The abuse ofalcohol by children and young people in Poland and in the world 1

• Main Authors: Katarzyna Resler, Dorota Cichosz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Medical Communications Sp. z o.o. 2015-09-01
• Series: Pediatria i Medycyna Rodzinna
• Subjects: alcoholism; adolescents; minors; inebriation; alcoholic intoxication
• Online Access: http://www.pimr.pl/index.php/issues/2015-vol-11-no-3/the-abuse-of-alcohol-by-children-and-young-people-in-poland-and-in-the-world?aid=887

Alcohol is an indispensable element of contemporary culture, which emphasises the role it plays in interpersonal contacts. These days it appears at most social and business meetings. It is one of the most commonly used psychoactive substances. The amount of alcohol drunk and the way in which it is consumed are regulated by cultural and moral norms. One has to bear in mind, however, that this substance is legally prohibited for minors. The problem of alcohol abuse by young people has been rising both in Poland and in the world. Almost all general-education secondary school students (Polish liceum with students aged 16–18 years) have tried alcohol and a significant number of them declared having consumed it within 12 months before the study. Models of drinking presented by adults from the children’s environment also have some influence on the problem, since children perceive alcohol as a token of adulthood and an element of “good fun.” The ease of access to alcoholic beverages for minors is a puzzling phenomenon: although selling alcohol to individuals aged below 18 years is legally prohibited, there is no problem with obtaining alcohol in “trusted” establishments. What is worrying is not only the rising number of adolescents drinking alcohol, but also the fact that ever younger children start drinking. Beer is still the most commonly chosen alcoholic drink. The reasons for and circumstances of drinking alcohol are determined to a large extent by communal, cultural and religious factors. The analysis of reports from other regions of the world provides evidence for the fact that alcohol abuse by adolescents is a global phenomenon. It is not a mere “isolated problem,” but a multifaceted phenomenon which must be effectively countered. One can hope that effective work with adolescents, appropriate education and social and cultural models will contribute to the reduction of alcohol consumption among young people.