Underage drinkers in outer growth areas like Wyndham are more likely to get alcohol from family and friends than buy it themselves, according to new research by Turning Point alcohol and drug centre.
A report released last week also found young people in outer suburbs were more likely than their inner city counterparts to drink at parties than in licensed venues.
Binge drinking was widespread among young people across the board, with about 40 per cent of those surveyed admitting they had consumed 20 or more standard drinks in a session in the past year.
Although young people in areas like Wyndham were more “conservative” than those in the inner suburbs, 66 per cent still believed drinking was “one of the pleasures of life”, according to researcher Dr Sarah MacLean. The study compared the attitudes towards alcohol of people aged 16-24 from inner Melbourne to outer areas including Wyndham, Melton, Casey, Cardinia, Whittlesea and Mitchell.
Dr MacLean said of survey participants aged 16 to 17 about 75 per cent in the growth areas had drunk alcohol in the past year, compared to 94 per cent in inner Melbourne.
Underage drinkers in the inner suburbs were more likely to buy alcohol themselves or drink illegally in licensed premises.
Dr MacLean said this might be because there were fewer bottle shops and licensed venues in outer suburbs. She said binge drinking was a major concern, not only for its health implications but the link between heavy intoxication and assaults. Although inner city young people had a more liberal view of drinking, those in the outer suburbs also scored high in acceptance of drinking, she said.
Half of those surveyed in the outer suburbs did not believe it was wrong for young people to drink regularly, and almost 30 per cent thought that getting drunk was an “innocent way of having fun”.
Dr MacLean called for the creation of strategies to deal with drinking patterns. ‘‘For example, interventions to ensure parties are safe and well managed.’’
She also said a “cautious approach” was needed to liquor outlet density planning.
