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=Peer pressure driving teens to drink= By Emily Bourke Updated Thu Nov 18, 2010 8:51am AEDT

DrinkWise looked into the drinking habits of young Australians (Getty Images: Christopher Furlong) Schoolies' week is within striking distance, and for many teenagers the countdown to hard partying and even harder drinking has begun. A youth drinks alcohol Schoolies' week is within striking distance, and for many teenagers the countdown to hard partying and even harder drinking has begun. But the DrinkWise organisation has released new research showing teenagers are hitting the bottle even when they do not want to. DrinkWise chairwoman Trish Worth says the research revealed a "cultural contradiction" in the drinking habits of young Australians. "Even when young people didn't feel like drinking, they thought they should or they wouldn't be part of the crowd, they wouldn't feel that they were belonging," she said. "Peer pressure has got something to do with it, but I think more this sense of belonging. "There are wider friendship groups now too and everything's more accessible, they've got more money than they had before, they are allowed more freedoms then they've had before. "There's more of an instant society and all these things are impacting on this culture." Police, hospitals and paramedics are gearing up for heavy-duty summertime partying by Australian teenagers. John Crozier, from the Australasian College of Surgeons, says Australia's drinking culture stands out. "If we compare ourselves with the oeCD countries, we have come a long way in 15 years with tobacco," he said. "With particular emphasis on alcohol we remain at the same harmful level that was the case 15 years ago. "We need to imagine what our community would look like if we could walk freely down the street at any time of the day and not be subject to abuse, to the potential for violence, not see the litter of bottles, be able to have parties for our 16, 17 and 18-year-olds without having to notify the police."

Tougher rules
This year's Trauma Week is focusing on alcohol-related injury and the Australian College of Surgeons is calling for increased taxes on alcohol and tougher rules on its availability. "With those taxes adjusted for inflation, regulation of the availability, regulation of marketing, they are proven methods and particularly helpful in reducing harm to the at-most-risk groups," Dr Crozier said. But Ms Worth says more regulation can only go so far. "Where the culture is concerned it won't be just about tax and things like that," she said. "Price is important, opening hours are important, there's no doubt about that. But that's leaving it all up to the Government to come along with harsh regulation and I don't think that the community will accept that easily. "Education, role modelling, encouraging parents to talk to their children and to talk to other parents earlier so they're not waiting for things to start going wrong - I think those sort of positive influences will probably carry more weight."

=[|Peer pressure reduces teenage tragedies: research]= Posted September 19, 2007 23:00:00

A psychology researcher from the Queensland University of Technology says a pilot program has shown peer support can help reduce tragedies among adolescents. PhD student Lisa Buckley says 360 year nine students reported a decrease in risk-taking behaviour after completing the two-week program called "Looking after your friends". Over the last week, one teenager was killed and seven others injured in car crashes involving drivers aged 14 and 15. Ms Buckley says the program could help prevent similar tragedies by getting teenagers to focus on common types of risk-taking activities.

[|Peer Pressure to drink]