Thursday, May 15, 2008

Lower the Drinking Age…Maybe Not!!

Perceptions are not always what they seem. After visiting the Munich Police and the IFT our group has found that underage alcohol abuse is just as prevalent in foreign countries as it is in America.

Tim Pfieffer, a specialist in the field of alcohol abuse and illicit drugs, was quick to correct our assumptions. Underage German’s go about obtaining alcohol and consuming alcohol in a very similar manner to underage Americans. A lot of the kids here in Munich can be found late at night in the Englisher park, along the Ezar River, and in homes. Pfieffer went on to explain how kids go about buying and drinking alcohol.

But first, a little cultural background… In Germany, 16 year olds are legally able to purchase beer and wine, and at 18 kids may legally purchase what the Germans call “hot stuff” or hard liquor.

Now that the alcohol is supplied, most kids go “warm up” (or “pre-game” to Americans) at friend’s homes. After their warm-up they head off to “disco techs,” parks, and Flat rate parties. Flat rate parties are gatherings where kids go to a home or private place and pay a cheap entry fee to drink previously supplied alcohol.

IFT supplied us with two surveys. One sample from seven states in Germany, and a population sample of 8,000 from all over Germany on alcohol consumption among ages 16-64. The results showed that since 1995 to 2008, more people have abstained from drinking, but there is a significant increase in binge drinking among adolescents.

Perhaps having a lower drinking age doesn’t ease the temptation after all.

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