People and Politics Forum 19. 06. 2009

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Boozing to Oblivion - Alcohol Abuse amongst Young People on the Internet

The latest report by the Federal Commissioner on Drugs in Germany raised widespread concern here. More than 23,000 young people had to be treated for alcohol poisoning in German hospitals last year. Binge drinking is becoming increasingly popular. And not only that, many young people are now also filming their excessive drinking and posting it on the internet. Experts are warning of the copycat effect, and many involved in youth welfare are calling for such websites to be blocked. The Federal Center for Health Education has launched a huge campaign this week aimed at discouraging alcohol abuse.

Our Question is:

"Can teenage binge drinking be stopped?"

Herbert Fuchs, Finland, says both nature and nurture matter:

"This question is tough to answer. Many children and young people grow up in an environment marked by indescribable poverty – in the high-rises and backyards of the big city, where nothing works anymore and even the landlord is out of work. Where the unemployed parents and neighbors pass the time, the endlessly long days with no positive prospects for the future – that’s where life is more than difficult to bear. Yes, and in public and school life, these young people bear their dammed-up fury in a new way – resorting to senseless boozing and violence against others – the way they see and experience it in their nearby surroundings on a daily basis. For these youth, the experience of success is what’s missing most, of being able to do something, for example, to play an instrument or have a hobby. And academic achievements no longer count in a place where everything has gone haywire. It’s a vicious cycle, and alcohol is the final nail that they can cling to. The negative side of globalization – which we’ve all been made to believe will bring us prosperity – a future – is a revolution that is putting society in the poorhouse. Teenage binge drinking is the best example of that, of our unraveling society. Not until people are able to find work and bread will many a family be able to live in peace without boozing ... These young people need role models – among them, their parents and everything that comes along with a peaceful coexistence."

Germany’s Hannelore Krause supports a multi-pronged approach:

"I think that it’s not just poverty and frustration that drive young people to drinking. More often it’s considered cool for young people today to test their strength by guzzling alcohol like water in a drive to prove that they’re finally grown up. As long as it’s easy for youth to get their hands on alcohol – whether it’s from a parent’s house, the gas station, the grocery or wherever – alcohol abuse will be impossible to stop. Tough punishments are necessary from those who procure alcohol for minors and young people – regardless of the form it takes and how strong it is. And: Parents need to take responsibility for their children. Taking steps to explain the consequences of alcohol consumption should start at home with the parents and continue in the classroom, where teachers must also address the fact that alcohol creates not just highs and lows but also destroys one’s illusions – as happens with binge drinking – and can lead to death. The Internet, too, must guard against posts glorifying alcohol abuse."

Rolf Bockmühl of the Philippines blames the media – and government:

"I think not! Our society and its families are falling apart. Solidarity, insofar as us older folks know it, hardly exists anymore ... Alcohol is too cheap, consumption is on the rise. Boozing is almost normal. Magazines, newspapers and television show people drinking and smoking far too often (And DW-TV deserves some of the blame). Any kind of warning comes too late because young people don’t promote any kind of abstinence from alcohol and cigarettes in their cliques. In such groups (as my grandchildren like to tell their grandfather), the popular ones are those who are "strong." Being strong means "heavy drinking and heavy bragging," especially in public, if possible. Unlimited drinking is just one part of my concern. Unfortunately, many families are also at fault because they don’t provide children with role models. As adolescents, we drank alcohol, too. Due to financial reasons, though, just a little. We also didn’t have the time for it. Six-day weeks were normal, as was overtime. Then there was the sports club. That was it. We don’t want to have to go through tough times like that again. I don’t begrudge today’s youth of their freedom and free time. It’s just – where, when and how have families and society adjusted to rapid consumption and the fast-paced Internet era? What do schools have to say? Both of my school-aged children came to learn to value free time, both during and in addition to their studies. The pressure to perform set in during exam week, but that’s it. Evening excursions ended all too often – in my opinion – and for the ladies, too, in various stages of drunkenness. Such were the "freedoms" of the students, whose parents were happy to pay for everything. Did we spoil our children with the "good" in life? That’s what I ask myself today. Stricter laws hardly help. Penalties don’t help, either. I think that families and families alone are the ones able to instill values in their children. Can families from the so-called "impoverished" classes achieve that, too? There’s a big problem here. Why is the government letting so many people fall by the wayside? That’s something the government is at risk of doing ... The bottom line: I don’t see any clear way of tackling this problem. It’s humiliating for me – I feel helpless. Where is our society headed?"

Gerhard Seeger, also of the Philippines, supports a smarter kind of information campaign:

"Bans on alcohol are useless – otherwise the problem wouldn’t exist. Alcohol abuse can only be stopped by young people themselves, insofar as they understand what it does to them and that this kind of binge drinking is disgusting. Sure, they’re young people, but they’re not little kids anymore. There’s already plenty of information out there on the dangers of the "drug" alcohol, but it could stand to be stepped up in a targeted way. And manufacturers should print warnings in ads and on bottles – every kind of container – that highlight alcohol’s dangers, not just to one’s own health, but to others as well."

Lee Davis of the United States sees the economic crisis as a cause:

"The short answer: probably not. You need to remember that young people follow the example of their parents. Children are bothered by the recession, too. When the economy improves, binge drinking should subside."

Syria’s Mohanad Mahli says "just saying no" doesn’t work:

"I am against a ban on alcohol for young people. That just makes alcohol more attractive. Breaking the law has its own kind of appeal!"

René Junghans of Brazil contends that alcohol abuse reflects parental lapses:

"The abuse of alcohol by teenagers can very well be stopped through comprehensive education. When young people post instances of their binge drinking all over the Internet, the state should add appropriate posts to blogs that clearly point out the dangers of alcohol abuse. In other respects, the situation shows a clear failure by parents who have neglected to raise their children with the necessary amount of love and security. The children of parents who abandon their offspring are in search of an alternative to bury their frustrations. Children who feel safe and loved by their parents resort neither to alcohol nor to drugs. My son is a good example of this. Lovingly brought up according to Christian beliefs, he is a very good student, attentive, well-raised and he doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs."

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