Many communities these days seem to have seen the effects of alcohol abuse. Life can be difficult, and in tough times people often turn to alcohol, the abuse of which can be even more harmful to their lives. Studies show that South Africa’s teens are also turning to alcohol for various reasons; some to help them cope, some due to peer pressure, and some to experiment and rebel.
Research by the University of South Africa (UNISA) shows that one in two teenagers in the average South African home has experimented with alcohol at some stage. But that the vast majority of parents believe their kids do not drink. Clearly there is a disconnect.
The consequences of alcohol abuse, especially to teens in their developing years, can be disastrous. Recent neuroscience research from the American Academy of Pediatrics has shown the harmful effects of alcohol on adolescent brain development, while further studies prove that the prevalence of both lifetime alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse increases the younger the child was when they started drinking.
To mobilise all South Africa’s adults in the fight against underage drinking, The South African Breweries (SAB) recently launched the 18+ campaign countrywide. The campaign, whose ambassadors include South African personalities Melanie Bala and Robert Marawa, is a call to action for adults to be role models in the fight against underage drinking.
“All South African adults have a role to play in bolstering the efforts to reduce underage alcohol consumption and problems that arise if left unchecked,” says Bala.
SAB Managing Director, Mauricio Leyva, says that as South Africa’s leading alcoholic beverage company, SAB takes responsible drinking and the fight against alcohol abuse very seriously.
“Our message to South African adults is quite clear. It is not okay for underage youths to drink alcohol under any circumstances. Even small amounts of liquor can cause physical and psychological damage to their developing bodies. We believe that there should be no drinking for those who are under the age of 18.”
“We encourage parents to have open and honest conversations about alcohol with their children. Our key message as part of the 18+ campaign is that we must speak to our youth about alcohol before alcohol speaks to them,” says Leyva.
The campaign highlights the message that it is not okay to give teenagers a drink in order to ‘control ’ their consumption habits, nor is it okay for a child under the age of 18 to be sent to buy alcohol for an adult. Parents and other adults should also not be taking children with them to a pub or tavern and it is not okay to do nothing when teenagers are seen drinking.
What you can do:
18+ is calling on all adult South Africans to support the campaign through actively talking about it, taking a stand and pledging their support.
The campaign website offers information on issues of underage drinking, downloadable guides for parents, and suggestions on additional ways to get involved. There is also a link to pledge your support.
Visit www.sabstories.co.za for more, or follow @SABreweries and #SAB18plus on Twitter.
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