Many parents are unaware of official guidance on when their teens should have their first alcoholic drink, according to a new report. The study, for Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAP), found that 58% of all adults were unaware of published guidance from the UK’s chief medical officers on when and where children should consume alcohol.
First published in 2009, the guidance tells parents and carers that “an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option” up to the age of 18. However, it said that if children do drink alcohol, it should not be until at least they are 15, while those who drink between the ages of 15 and 17 should only do so in a supervised environment.
It added: “Parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people. If 15 to 17-year-olds do consume alcohol, they should do so infrequently and certainly on no more than one day a week.
