Warning to parents of drunk teens

by Carly Udy | 26th November 2009

Parents of teens who overindulge in alcohol could get a visit from social agencies as part of a holiday programme launched yesterday.

A Summer to Remember, Not a Summer to Forget aims to educate parents and teenagers on the dangers of excess drinking. It could include interventions from social agencies if teens are treated in the Emergency Department at Tauranga Hospital.

It will be run by Tauranga Safe City, a group comprising representatives from the council, New Zealand Police, Bay of Plenty District Health Board, Fulton Hogan, ACC and the Ministry of Justice.

 The same group is responsible for the Sexual Assault Primary Prevention campaign in secondary schools, launched in June.

Tauranga Safe City co-ordinator Michael Mills, said the alcohol campaign would run until January. It would reinforce messages to young people about keeping themselves safe and managing their drinking.

The campaign will also target parents and caregivers with messages about responsible access to, and consumption of, alcohol by young people.

Mr Mills said it was hoped that Tauranga would be able to offer a similar service to Wellington, where teenagers treated for intoxication, or escorted home by police or any other agency, will be followed up within seven days by a phone call and then a home visit, where discussion with parents and/or caregivers will take place about the circumstances that led to the young person requiring treatment.

Those making the visits will be trained counsellors from Get Smart Drug and Alcohol Agency, and other counselling agencies.

Tauranga Safe City is in preliminary discussions with Tauranga Hospital over this.

 Tauranga Hospital's Emergency Department deals with an average of 20 very drunk teenagers requiring treatment every weekend. Some have such extreme alcohol poisoning they have to  have a tube passed down their throat to assist with breathing.

Summer ambassadors will distribute information and resources over the peak summer period and liquor outlets under the Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty Off-Licence Accord, will hand out brochures and lay down counter mats with the campaign's key messages.

The emergency intervention manager for the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand  Sue Paton, said parents were powerful role models.

"If parents are doing quite a bit of drinking over that [summer] period, which they often are, they are modelling that.

"We can't entirely blame young people for the way they drink because [excess drinking] is problematic for young and old in New Zealand."

Ms Paton said overseas evidence showed brief intervention and follow up reduced the incidence of repeat hospital treatment for intoxication.