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Preventive Action Alliance
Parental Supply: Should You Bring the Party Home?
We all know that raising a teenager is hard and that we would do
anything to raise them right, for some this means keeping the party at
home. There is a long-held belief that underage drinking is an
inevitability and that regardless of what we do, teens will try alcohol
before the legal age. Some say that parents might as well be in control
of that consumption by allowing teens to drink in their home, however
research says something very different.
Is teen drinking really an inevitability? The simple answer is no. The
2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 19% of people
ages 12–20 are current alcohol users. This tells us that while underage
drinking is a national concern, it is not an inevitability and it
shouldn't be treated as such.
So, should you allow alcohol in your home? Again, the simple answer
remains no. A recent study published in The Lancet Public Health found
that there is no benefit to parents supplying alcohol to teens. This
study followed a group of teens in Australia for six years to determine
prospective risk associated with teens whose alcohol supply came from
home versus teens whose alcohol came from another supply, or no supply
at all. According to the findings, parental supply was associated with
higher rates of binge drinking, more alcohol-related harm, and
increased symptoms of alcohol use disorder. While alcohol sourced from
outside of the home was found to be associated with the same risks, the
combination of receiving alcohol from parents and from other sources
did not decrease risk. The study concluded, “there is no rationale for
parents to give alcohol to adolescents younger than the legal purchase
age. ...Parental supply only remains associated with adverse adolescent
drinking outcomes.”
It is a nice thought to keep your teens safe at home, however if
alcohol is involved, you may be doing more harm than good. As parents,
investigate the claims you hear and stand against peer pressure telling
you to bring the party home. As community leaders and advocates, spread
factual knowledge and best practices to keep teens safe as they go
through these impressionable years. The future of our teens looks
bright as underage drinking rates have been decreasing through the
years. Continue to work for a safe future by prohibiting underage
drinking in your home.
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