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Binge drinking challenged

Posted on July 25, 2008, 10:10am

A South East family violence worker has challenged the community to take action against binge drinking.

“We are very good at organising fundraising events or marches, why can’t we organise something to help our children?” Anglican Community Care worker Tony Byfieldt said.

“I challenge parents, young people and anyone else to come up with ideas … the problem is huge … let’s hear what you think.”

Mr Byfieldt said enough was being done on a national level, but there was a need for local initiatives.

“Maybe we need more venues where young people can have fun or maybe we need to give them alternative entertainment,” he said.

“I bet most young people don’t even really enjoy going to pubs or clubs at night, but there’s nowhere else for them to go.

“Most young people are good and no one is suggesting they should stop drinking … we don’t want to change them into the Pope.

“The focus is on responsible drinking.”

Mr Byfieldt asked for the blame game to stop and encouraged pro-active responses.

“We should stop blaming parents, young people or the government and start doing something,” he said.

“Alcopops were not invented by the kids or the parents, but now that kids are drinking it — just falling for good marketing campaigns — they are being blamed.

“We are not tackling the problem this way, we are just treating the symptoms.”

Mr Byfieldt said a large percentage of violence in families was due to alcohol abuse or heavy drinking sessions.

“We have always had a problem with alcohol in Australia, but it is out of control now,” he said.

“About 90pc of young people drink to get drunk and when they leave a pub, they take their violent, drunk behaviour home with them and also from the one relationship to the next.”

ANELIA BLACKIE

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Comments

4 Responses to “Binge drinking challenged”

  1. Talie on August 6th, 2008 12:15 pm 1

    Great article up until that last sentence. Went from ‘stop blaming young people’ and calling for proactive action… to pulling some random statistic that:

    ABOUT 90pc of YOUNG people drink to get drunk …they take their violent, drunk behaviour home.…

    Is it just me, or is that a bit of a contradiction?
    I think binge drinking applies to people of all ages.

  2. Mykln on August 6th, 2008 4:35 pm 2

    I agree. … 90% is a rediculous figure, and a huge over exaggeration. Its not even 90% in the whole of Australia, let alone Mount Gambier. I appreciate what your trying to do Mr. Byfieldt, but I think you are way off the mark with how large the problem is.

    I do, however, agree with what you said, that not enough is being done on a national level. Only the government can really take the proper action needed to make a difference. I think we see far too many ads on TV trying to sell us cosmetics, fashion and fast food, and not enough ads educating us on the effects of drugs and alcohol.

    Maybe they need to replace some of these mocked up reality shows with a show that really is reality, and show the lives of real people in the real world who are suffering the effects of drugs and alcohol. Those who are currently in rehab and what they have to go through to get off it. Those who have lost their families and assets through substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol seem to be so glamorourised in the media and TV shows, and these examples are what our kids look up to and aspire to be. .. Scary !!

  3. Mykln on August 6th, 2008 4:40 pm 3

    I saw a documentary once about people at raves, taking E’s and other synthetic home made pills and substances. There was this one person who took one.… yes just one. Him and a few others had a bad reaction to some obviously poorly made drugs, and one boy died on the Ambulance stretcher because of internal bleeding. His internal organs were actually bleeding. Now that was enough to scare me the hell off trying any of that stuff. …EVER !! I only ever seen it once, and I never forgot it. The look on that kids face when he was going through it, was nightmarish.

  4. Shaun Dunford on August 6th, 2008 10:50 pm 4

    Re the quote on about 90% of young people drink to get drunk.
    What’s the problem with that quote? The article and the current issue in society and the media is about young people and binge drinking so it is an entirely relevant statement.
    I challenge anyone to tell me that they only ever have one or two drinks to have a social experience when they are young.
    It always has been a badge of honour to quote, how drunk you got on the weekend, or how you can’t remember this or that or how sick you were/weren’t the next day. Tell me how many people 25+ would have that conversation on a Monday?