Its not fair to blame everything on parents, after all these people make a decisions to drink and many of them are adults. But if I ever came home drunk or more importantly, didn't come home at all, my parents would probably be really angry with me and certainly speak to me to stop it happening again. How would your parents react if you were binge-drinking?

Perhaps we should start children with alcohol at home the way the French do, they have less of a drink problem than we have.

So what are we gonna do, raise the smoking age? its dangerous. and driving at 17 no no no and also what about a pedal bike with no helmet? parents let kids do that. so drinking is bad but falling off your bike un-protected is good?

I think that parents do have a big responisibility for underage drinking, not all of it, but a part. First of all because these kids are underage (..) and their parents are responsible for them; and then should be setting limits for stuff like when their kids should be home and what happens if they are caught drinking. But I also think it is important that parents are good role models, and not necessarily just saying "no, dont drink" but also showing how to use alcohol in a way that is sensible.

yea, not everything can be blamed on the parents, but all the same, they should be being firmer on their kids when it comes to underage drinking. it always shocks me when i hear how some parents are being too laid back and even buying the drink for their kids set an example

i can understand on special occasions with supervision but if they know their kids are getting blocked on the weekends they need to stand up and take responsibility for what thats doing to their kids health, school and future

and young people we need to stop having that as a main social event the body cant cope with having to process so much alcohol, and honestly do you really wanna be known as that mate who got blocked, and barfed before passing out in the park??

but at the end of the day, THEIR FRENCH :P

ive been caught once or twice, and my parents have really cracked up at me.

although that was near a year ago, and they would let me drink occasionally now, they would still warn me if i was going into town 'no smoking no drinking'.

its praental instinct to worry about their children.

although i agree with the idea of introducing wine at dinner etc etc like the french. People argue it would make it worse though, oh well, its a risk =]