Introducing drinking with food, as part of a Mediterranean family culture, doesn’t actually protect teenagers from the harmful effects of alcohol, according to a new campaign.
It doesn’t matter what your cultural background is, your kids are still growing up in Australia and they’re engaging in the culture that’s around them.
DrinkWise CEO, Cath Peachey, acknowledged parents want to teach messages of moderation and respect for alcohol, but said emerging science showed drinking can do significant damage to the teenage brain.
“Traditionally, it was thought that the brain had finished developing before you got to the teenage years,” she said.
But she said medical imaging had shown that the frontal lobes of the brain are going through critical development after puberty, right up until around 24 years old.
“And it’s the frontal lobes that are responsible for things like judgement, decision-making, emotional stability, learning and memory,” she said.
“So if you introduce alcohol, which is a toxin, during that time, you’ll interrupt that development process.”
As part of a new campaign targeting families of non-English speaking backgrounds, DrinkWise is providing tips for parents on how to talk to their children about alcohol in ten different languages, including Greek.
“It doesn’t matter what your cultural background is, your kids are still growing up in Australia and they’re engaging in the culture
that’s around them,” she said.
“What we’re trying to do is provide
information to parents and the community about this new science.”
For more information go to www.drinkwise.com.au