Favourable attitudes to drug use contributing to teen drinking, study finds

Over half of year nine male and female students surveyed in Victoria had drank alcohol in the past month, while 36 per cent of year seven males and 31 per cent of year seven females surveyed had drank alcohol in the past month.

The study also found teenagers in Victoria are twice as likely to drink alcohol as their counterparts in America.

The new study, published online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, draws on data from the International Youth Development Study, a longitudinal study of 5,769 students from Victoria, Australia, and Washington State, United States.

The study asked Victorian and Washington State students in Years 7 and 9 about their drinking behaviour, substance use and the factors that influence alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use.

Peer recognition for substance use, favourable attitudes by peers and parents towards drinking and community norms favourable to alcohol and other drug use were shown to be higher risk factors in Victoria.

Lead researcher Dr Sheryl Hemphill, who completed this work at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute said the study showed there was need for investment in a wider public health messaging campaign to communicate the disadvantages of youth alcohol and other substance use and to help change community attitudes.

"Community attitudes in Victoria were more tolerant of drug use and peers were more encouraging of drug use by other students," Dr Hemphill said.

"Parental attitudes were favourable towards drug use as well. This suggests young people are getting the message from various parts of the community that maybe its fine to use alcohol and other drugs. We need to rethink what sorts of messages we're giving the young people."

"These attitudes are leading to higher prevalence rates for alcohol use in Victoria. Further education and prevention programs relating to the harms of alcohol are needed to control the rising consumption of alcohol in adolescence."