What comes to your mind when
you think of 18 year olds drinking? Not much of a good image comes to mind does
it? My topic for my formal research report is Young New Zealanders attitudes
towards alcohol, and why I disagree that the restricted age to be able to
purchase alcohol is 18. I chose to research around this topic due to the fact
that alcohol has really taken a toll over our young adults within Aotearoa. I
have three key questions I am aiming to answer by the end of this research. My
first one is what are the current laws around alcohol for people in New
Zealand? Second will be, what are the issues around alcohol/ young drinkers in
New Zealand? Last but not least, what are some solutions to these problems that
have occurred due to young alcohol consumers? Through this report I plan on
proving that purchases of alcohol should be moved to 21 years of age and over.
Alcohol that is consumed by young irresponsible adults can cause a lot of chaos
and damage to our societies and families. Thus making drinking alcohol at such
a young age much less acceptable within our societies.
What are the current laws around alcohol for young adults
throughout New Zealand? One, you must be
18 years and over to purchase alcohol within New Zealand. Two, you are not allowed
to be driving while intoxicated. Three, if you are below 18 years old and you
are consuming alcohol substances, you are to be supervised at all times. These
are just a few laws given to the citizens of New Zealand by the government
referring to alcohol. The laws that are given to the young citizens of New
Zealand based around alcohol aren’t strict enough. Which is why I strongly support
that the purchases of alcohol should be moved up to 21 years and over. Stay at
home mother of 5 by the name of Christina Isaako, shares to me her own personal
thoughts on what the legal drinking age should be. She responds in a negative
way saying that the age limit should be moved up to 21 years and over. The
viewpoints of different people, and the opinions of other pupils around Zealand
should count to make the laws much more reliable. According to http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/about-limits/alcohol-and-drugs-limits.html this
website gives information around the legal limit to how much alcohol you are
allowed to consume before driving. Mrs Chay Carter an experienced and current English
teacher at St Kentigern’s College, let alone married and mother of two also has
her personal opinion towards how old she thinks the legal drinking age should
be. She responded “Everything should be in moderation.” By this she means to
just make good decisions about alcohol consuming. No matter who you are or how
old you are. Everyone has their own opinion on things, and my opinion towards
the government’s laws is that they are way too basic and need to be worked on
so that our young adults of New Zealand are safe when it comes to alcohol.
What are the issues around alcohol/ young drinkers in New
Zealand? The main typical issues that young drinkers face seem to repeat over
and over again. The fact that they don’t know how to control themselves while
they are intoxicated is definitely a big one. Thus causing incidents to occur.
The lives that have been taken from young drinkers have been one to many. According
to http://www.alcohol.org.nz/research-resources/nz-statistics/road-traffic-crashes-and-deaths in 2012 from the previous website just
mentioned, it gives information based around the death toll caused by high
blood alcohol levels. I interviewed Grace Payn, aged 14, and currently
attending the same school as me and a good friend of mine, and asked her what
her opinion would be on the main issue, which young adults have towards
consuming alcohol. She responded saying “the main big issue has got to be drunk
driving. It’s pretty messed up when it comes to about 10 bottles of beer later
and no sober driver!” Within 2012 there were 73 fatal crashes, 331 serious
injury crashes and 933 minor injury crashes. These crashes resulted in 93
deaths, 454 serious injuries and 1,331 minor injuries. All due to alcohol
intoxication within a single year. Most of these injuries and deaths were
caused by young adults whose alcohol blood level would’ve probably been well
over the limit. Young adult’s attitudes towards alcohol shown by research is
very clearly proven to be irresponsible, and disobedient towards the laws.
What are some solutions to these problems that have occurred
due to young alcohol consumers? There are plenty of different solutions given
to us. Solutions from the internet, solutions from within ourselves, and
solutions given to us verbally through people we know. Usually while thinking
of solutions based around alcohol consuming, the smart idea would to stay away
from it right from the start. But that will probably never happen if you’ve
been consuming it for quite a while now. So more realistic solutions from my
research I have gathered would be to take classes on alcohol control. These
classes will help you to develop skills on the way you drink and consume your
alcohol. It will help you keep your alcohol levels controlled and on a healthy
basis. https://www.declinol.com/en-nz/?gclid=CjwKEAjwycaqBRCSorjE7ZewsmUSJABWzM54uR8Kf_8FP3eRlbAKgN_qI648hL3R45meMx_RvrwvaBoCzhvw_wcB is a
website that gives you insights on a good product called Declinol. It is sold
to help out with your alcohol consummation. Declinol helps to either cutback
with your drinking habits or to just completely quit! Another sensible solution
to a drinking problem would probably be to talk about it with an experienced
past alcoholic. To see what their experiences were like, and how they’ve
improved in a positive way by cutting back. Young drinkers have so many
solutions but tend to dodge the bigger picture of considering the fact that
they’re way to young and immature to be holding a bottle of beer or a can of
alcohol.
So think for me now, what picture would you have in your mind
when you see 21 year olds drinking, and stricter laws from the government be
given? The image is much more acceptable. Plus a much lighter burden would
probably be lifted off the shoulders of those who have to deal with the fatal
deaths of loved ones, who have been taken by irresponsible alcohol consuming.
My research has definitely come to a conclusion with the fact that young adults
around New Zealand who consume alcohol still tend to have the minds of 16 year
olds. They’re still too young and their attitude towards alcohol still need to mature.
The laws that have been given by the government are also much too easy, and
need to be worked on based around the issues that have occurred. The laws need
to help solve the issues and need to help create more realistic solutions for
young alcohol consumers, and the way they consume it. To conclude my research
based off my different questions that have been answered, young adults who
consume alcohol around New Zealand need to improve their attitudes when
drinking, or the issues that have been stated will keep getting worse and
worse.
