ALCOHOL is the nation's "drug of choice", with 5 million Australians regularly drinking too much, the Salvation Army has warned.
Releasing new research showing 31 per cent of people older than 14 knocked back between six and 30 drinks in one session at least once a month, Major Mark Campbell yesterday said alcohol was "out of control" in society.
But the survey, by pollsters Roy Morgan, also revealed fewer young people were binge drinking, the first fall since 2001.
Australian alcohol consumption guidelines allow a maximum of six drinks a session for men and four for women, with one or two alcohol-free days a week.
The survey showed that in the 14 to 24-year age group, 51 per cent of men and 62 per cent of women drank responsibly - up from 39 per cent and 50 per cent last year.
Binge drinking - at least nine drinks a session - had dropped in the same age group, to 27 per cent of men from 38 per cent a year ago, and to 12 per cent of women from 28 per cent.
But the figures still equate to 560,000 young Australians regularly getting blind drunk.
Major Campbell said alcohol led to more hospital admissions than illegal drugs.
And most of the 700 women and children who sought refuge with the Salvation Army each week were victims of people who abused alcohol.
The Salvation Army's new awareness campaign calls on sporting stars to set a better example.
Melbourne University stu dents Dominic, 20, and Rhyan, 19, neither of whom wanted their surnames used, regularly have more than 20 beers in one night but don't expect their drinking habits to continue into their working lives.
"There's a big difference (between) drinking when you're young, and becoming an alcoholic," Rhyan said.
Well I guess it's good that youth binge drinking is down. It's odd though, most of the time it's the youth who are binge drinking, this time it's the other way around.
Well, the youth get old, still binge drinking, and their kids think "my parents are idiots, wanna do something different to them" and the new generation doesn't binge drink, then they grow up, still not binge drinking, and their kids think "my parents are idiots, wanna do something different to them" and start getting pissed at parties
It's a vicious cycle...
"I'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
I dunno. When I was a kid, my dad let me have beer every now and then, didn't get drunk until I was 18... so, thinking about it, perhaps today's cooler parents, who occasionally let their kids sip something nice, intern turn them away from binging
Then again, knowing some of the idiots back in High School, you're probably right about them being on something else...
"I'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
That is possible. My mum never let me drank so I got pissed every weekend at friends houses instead (I was a wild child )
But these days (that makes me sound old I am only 23 ) parents have the attitude that they would rather their kids did these kinds of things in their house under a safe roof rather than out on the street so a lot of parents have a more lax than back in my day (God I feel old ).
I know a lot of parents who even let their kids and their friends smoke dope and stuff in their houses, rather than have them doing it in the local park or whatever.
It may also have something to do with teenagers watching their older brothers and sister and learning from their lessons?
I have a friend who's dad caught them smoking cigarettes and made them smoke a whole pack till they spewed. They never touched another cigarette again. So those sorts of punishments definetely work!
I've heard I think trying to convince kids that they're stupid if they do those things'd be the best way. I've always thought smoking was kinda pointless myself, and I didn't come up with that idea on my own, I'm sure...
"I'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
How many kids actually know about alcohol poisoning? I think some knowledge about what the signs are and what can happen might help. You can't stop them from drinking, but some information may save a life.
That's quite true; they show images of what your lungs are like after smoking for years, and what your brain is like on drugs (well... they fry an egg... still), but there's nothing to show what your liver is like when drinking...
Then again, a little alcohol helps clear arteries, so I think moderation should be taught
"I'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
They are actually considering bringing that in, putting pictures of livers and kidneys on bottles of alcohol. They're doing the ciggies first, then depending on the response to that, they'll out it on bottles too.
We have quite agreessive campaigns over here aimed at teenagers warning of the dangers of drinking excessively. But it's more about the fact that you'll slut around and get into fights and make an idiot of yourself, not concentrating on the effects of drinking to the body.
Yeah, I remember those ads. They've had them for a while... some dude crying in the gutter after getting into a fight... Looo-s-her... Though you gotta appreciate that they exist, I guess, to help kids...
"I'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
09-17-2004 06:32 AM
or the youth are to busy binging on something else *sniff sniff* 
I dunno. When I was a kid, my dad let me have beer every now and then, didn't get drunk until I was 18... so, thinking about it, perhaps today's cooler parents, who occasionally let their kids sip something nice, intern turn them away from binging
I think trying to convince kids that they're stupid if they do those things'd be the best way. I've always thought smoking was kinda pointless myself, and I didn't come up with that idea on my own, I'm sure...
