Australia's alcohol idiot problem

[purple.cow]

I think it's past time the Australian government treated the problems associated with alcohol as it has been doing for a long time with cigarettes and smoking because while smoking is harmful to a person's health it usually only affects the smoker in a serious way themselves, whereas the problems arising from grog harm many around the drunken idiot.

Heavy drinking results in public brawling to the extent where death occurs to both the drinker and others they see fit to harm.

Heavy drinkers also seriously abuse kids and partners, both physically and mentally.

Alcohol abuse is a growing issue among our young people.

Alcohol abuse costs the country millions of dollars every year through loss of productivity due to the drinker chucking sickies because they are hungover or suffering ill effects of grog the following day.

Alcohol abuse results in way too many deaths and injuries on our roads every year.

alcoholics cost our public health system millions every years due to the serious issues it causes to the abuser.

I could go on and on about the bad side of grog, but it will start sounding as though I'm totally anti-grog if I do, when in fact I have absolutely nothing against anyone enjoying a drink or two, but I have a hell of a lot against what abusing the stuff causes.

So, I think it's time that the Australian government takes a far more serious approach to the subject.

To do this they should start off with banning all alcohol/and alcohol related products from public advertising - just as they did with smoking products many years ago.

Next they should slap on an immediate minimum tax price rise of 10% for all alcohol and alcohol related products, to be followed up within 6 months with a further 10% price rise on the lot.

These price rises should also hit the home grog making products market too.

additionally all consuming of ALL alcohol products should be totally banned from all public venues and licensing hours over the entire country should be reduced to far more reasonable hours, say midnight in all clubs and pubs etc.

Do you think I'm goping over the top?

OK, you may think so, but I'm sick to death of seeing the results of alcohol abuse at all levels in this country, and I can see no good reason why my tax dollors should go toward fighting a losing battle against the problems arising from grog abuse.

I've also been forced to attend too many funerals of innocent bystanders killed due to bloody idiot's bad habits while they walk away from it all almost Scot free.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@**meep** wrote:

You are assuming that all teenagers will end up drinking alcohol.  Should I introduce a minor to everything to experiment with so they are used to it by the time they reach legal age just in case?

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I am not assuming anything. Although I suspect that most teenagers WILL drink alchohol at some point.

I am merely saying that it is ridiculous to set an unrealistic stop/start point and still expect them to act responsibly when they finally get their hands on it.

I expect my children will get drunk at some point in their lives. But it won't be because they are rebelling or because they are itching to see what it's like because I have made a mountain out of a mole hill by giving them the "Not until you're 18,son." lecture.

[crystal**flake]

It is actually illegal to drink under the age of 18.

[**meep**]

I am not assuming anything.

you are assuming that by not allowing your children to drink alcohol until they are legal age,  they will  not be able to act responsibly, aren't you?

[topsidesoul]

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@**meep** wrote:

I am not assuming anything.

you are assuming that by not allowing your children to drink alcohol until they are legal age,  they will  not be able to act responsibly, aren't you?

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Be a fly on the wall at a 21st party that has no parental control.

[**meep**]

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@topsidesoul wrote:

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@**meep** wrote:

I am not assuming anything.

you are assuming that by not allowing your children to drink alcohol until they are legal age,  they will  not be able to act responsibly, aren't you?

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Be a fly on the wall at a 21st party that has no parental control.

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I have been to a few myself.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@**meep** wrote:

I am not assuming anything.

you are assuming that by not allowing your children to drink alcohol until they are legal age,  they will  not be able to act responsibly, aren't you?

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No.

I've already said in post 50 that some parents "allow" their children alcohol in the misguided belief they are preparing them.

I am talking about communication and education predominantly.

We don't make a big deal about alcohol in our house. Wine is on the table every night and anyone can help themselves. My son won't touch it at all. My daughter occasionally has a small glass with lemonade.

They aren't told they can't drink until they are 18. That is like sending a message saying "AS soon as you hit 18, GO FOR IT!".

They aren't lectured about the dangers of alcohol or lectured about never drinking to excess.

They are told that we understand about peer pressure and that one day we expect we;ll get a call to collect them from somewhere cause they are too drunk to make it home. But they understand to make the same mistake over and over is disrespectful to themselves and their friends.

[kennedia_nigricans]

in germany, you can (as hubby pointed out above) buy champagne/wine/beer legally after you turn 16.

yes they  (I ) get/got peed as a parrot, but we do not kill (king hit) or **bleep**. we just have our "experiences" and vomit afterwards.

i have NEVER read on the german newspapers about king hits of 18 yo, rapes, cos a 18 yo female got drunk and walked into an alley.

i have  follow the newspapers about at least 20 years, and yes there is violence and rapes, but the sort of neanderthaler behaviour that is in the newspapers here almost every day commited by teenagers just isn't there.

it is not the alcohol, it's the culture. i know it's hard, VERY hard to change that, but it doesn't help to just adress the symptoms, it is necessary to get to the root of the problem.

[**meep**]

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

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@**meep** wrote:

I am not assuming anything.

you are assuming that by not allowing your children to drink alcohol until they are legal age,  they will  not be able to act responsibly, aren't you?

---

No.

I've already said in post 50 that some parents "allow" their children alcohol in the misguided belief they are preparing them.

I am talking about communication and education predominantly.

We don't make a big deal about alcohol in our house. Wine is on the table every night and anyone can help themselves. My son won't touch it at all. My daughter occasionally has a small glass with lemonade.

They aren't told they can't drink until they are 18. That is like sending a message saying "AS soon as you hit 18, GO FOR IT!".

They aren't lectured about the dangers of alcohol or lectured about never drinking to excess.

They are told that we understand about peer pressure and that one day we expect we;ll get a call to collect them from somewhere cause they are too drunk to make it home. But they understand to make the same mistake over and over is disrespectful to themselves and their friends.

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OK, naturally, I agree communication and education is most important.  I did not agree with you that banning children from consuming alcohol until they were 18 was dumb..  That was the only thing that I pointed out because, as I said, I strongly disagree with.

[punch*drunk]

I think as a parent you do what you think will work....and then hope it does.

We do lecture (well, discuss really) the dangers of alcohol, and also the dangers of getting in cars with people who've been drinking, because we think that will work with our kids. I'm very sure it will work with my son and I hope it works for my daughter, they are both still too young for drinking so it remains to be seen. Not that I think they will never drink, but they are well aware that just because they are legally allowed to drink at 18, doesnt mean they should and certainly doesnt mean they should drink to excess.

We use the same approach for smoking and drugs, hopefully they will stay away from them too.

[acacia_pycnantha]

It doesn't matter how old they are . . if they have all the cultural sophistication and sensitivity of a zombie, then they are just going to cause trouble for everyone around them when they drink alcohol.

Seems I still haven't made my point clear to you all. Or that I have and that you just choose to ignore it because home truths cause too much discomfort.

Just crack another bottle and get bleep faced, eh? She'll be right come morning, cobber. What are ya?

signing out of this thread now.