Sophie Conlon
A NEW education program aimed at starting a conversation around the supply of alcohol to teenagers has been launched in the Limestone Coast.
Substance Misuse Limestone Coast (SMLC), in partnership with a local Planet Youth Network group, developed the program after it was revealed local young people most often drank at home, or in the homes of others.
SMLC project officer Sophie Bourchier said the campaign was about giving everyone the opportunity to learn more about the harms associated with young people drinking alcohol.
“We think that parents and significant adults believe unwittingly that providing alcohol to young people helps them learn how to drink alcohol, when in fact it’s the opposite,” she said.
“It’s supporting them in drinking alcohol when they shouldn’t be drinking because of their developing brain.”
The program will be rolled out at every football club in the Limestone Coast, something Ms Bouchier was pleased about.
“It’s really important, because that’s where families congregate,” she said.
“We want our education campaign to reach as many parents and other adults as possible and because sporting clubs are protective hubs in our community, they have put up their hands to promote our education campaign.”
“They were all really pleased to be a part of the health promotion campaign.”
Western Border League president Michael Summers said it was important to educate and step up as leaders in the community.
“As a league, we’re supporting this campaign to help prevent and reduce underage drinking and the supply of alcohol to young people,” he said.
“We need to be leaders on and off the field, let’s be the leaders to stop exposure to alcohol to our young stars.”
“Younger players look up to us, so let’s teach them that drinking at a young age shouldn’t be encouraged.”
Ms Bouchier said the program was targeted at families and parents as data showed they were the ones buying alcohol for teens.
Network member and Limestone Coast Crime Prevention Section Sergeant Jade Hill said she hoped the campaign would be a “driver for change”.
“In my role as a parent and as a police officer, I’ve often seen parents wanting to be their child’s friend, but they also need to be parents and sometimes that means saying ‘no’,” she said.
“I would like to see this campaign bring about positive change and result in better outcomes for young people. I come from the business of prevention and if we can educate our next group of adults, we can begin to see real generational change.”
Ms Bouchier said alcohol was a drug and could have lasting effects on growing brains.
“Like any other drug it affects the brain and reward pathways and if people start to learn to reward the brain using the drug they are more likely to have alcohol and other drugs later on in life,” she said.
“There is clear evidence young people are more vulnerable to the harms associated with using alcohol and we want our young people to thrive and be as healthy as possible.”
She said young adults who drank alcohol were more at risk of being a victim of crimes, sexual assault, violence, and depression.
“And the list goes on,” she said.
“If you gain an addiction to alcohol and you suddenly stop drinking you can die, this isn’t something that normally happens with other drugs.
“Alcohol is probably the most dangerous drug because it is so accessible and so socially acceptable, and it’s almost a right of passage, which is the data we’re seeing and it’s concerning.”
The next Plant Youth Network survey of local year 10 students will take place in term three and Ms Bouchier said she hoped they would see significant change in data with the rollout of the campaign.
Information on the program can be found online at smlc.org.au/programs/planet-youth
