Parents, the authorities and the medical profession are evidently troubled by the increase in the number of teenagers who drink heavily, not to mention the potentially-lethal habit of drink-driving. Such habits during the formative years set a pattern for later lifestyles, with eventual serious health effects. And not only is drinking occurring at an earlier age but teenagers are drinking more on each occasion. Binge drinking – the downing of five or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion – is even more deleterious to health.
Teenagers are tacitly encouraged to drink by the fact that the overwhelming majority of the Maltese consume alcohol on a regular basis, as determined by a new EU-wide survey, with only 14 per cent saying they did not drink. The most disquieting finding is that binge drinking is also high. Indeed, 38 per cent admitted that they binge drink at least once a month, 19 per cent do so at least once a week and seven per cent binge several times a week!
Very telling is the fact that half of the respondents said that a 25 per cent hike in the price of alcohol would not affect their consumption.
There is almost total ignorance of the laws governing alcohol: 91 per cent had no idea of how many drinks they could safely take before driving. Another 91 per cent gave the wrong reply when asked to state the limit on the permissible blood alcohol levels while driving.
Interestingly, and in a seemingly contradictory mode, most respondents wanted more restrictions on the availability of alcoholic beverages to young people, with 93 per cent agreeing with measures banning the sale of alcoholic drinks to the under 18s and 77 per cent supporting the ban of alcohol advertising. In addition, 73 per cent wanted the permissible driving blood alcohol level lowered for young and novice drivers.
Medically, the effects of excessive alcohol are legion. In the long term, heavy drinking can cause hepatitis and liver failure. Alcohol also predisposes to cancer of the liver, breast, mouth, esophagus, larynx and pharynx. It is thought that two to four per cent of all cancer is related to alcohol.
Alcohol also predisposes to hypertension with eventual heart failure from poisoning of the heart muscle. Alcohol also causes weight gain and depresses the immune system, making it easier to contract viral illnesses such as flu and colds.
Drinking large amounts can result in alcohol poisoning, which causes unconsciousness and even death. Breathing slows or even stops due to alcoholic respiratory depression and the skin becomes cold and may look blue.
Other long-term effects of excessive alcohol include loss of appetite, vitamin deficiencies, stomach ailments (heartburn, ulcers etc), sexual impotence, central nervous system damage and memory loss. It is thought that these effects could be far more pronounced in the young.
Teenagers under the influence of alcohol are more likely to have casual sex if under the influence and, indeed, alcohol has been implicated as the most common “date rape” substance. The introduction of “designer drinks” and so-called “alcopops” has made alcohol more attractive to the younger generation.
In the survey, it is encouraging to note that, overall, Europeans support policies aimed at alcohol reduction and alcohol-related harm.
The only way to control this particular scourge is through health education, changes to legislation, effective monitoring of the drinks industry including retailers and responsible marketing.