How To Cut Pre-Drinking In Youngsters

Thursday, March 4, 2010, 12:13

Pre drinking is the new demon in the 'intoxication culture' of modern life, having its ugly arms over youngsters overpowering them.

Pre drinking also called pre-gaming, involves pre planned drinking in a over dose, usually in someone's home before visiting especially a pub, or a night club or going for a social event as well. The dictionary meaning of pre-drinking goes thus : "[the] act of drinking alcohol before you go out to the club to maximise your fun at the club while spending the least amount on extremely overpriced alcoholic beverages".

Pre-drinking has become a common feature among the youngsters where they get themselves drunk heavily, throwing themselves into arenas of negative consequences when compared to non-pre- drinkers. The danger zones mostly involves blackouts, hangovers and even alcohol poising as a result of heavy and rapid consumption. Pre-drinking often invites other intoxicant accomplices like recreational drugs such as cannabis and cocaine as drinkers socialize in unsupervised environments.

"Many young bar-goers have found a way to avoid paying high alcohol prices in bars: they pre-drink," said lead author Dr. Samantha Wells, a researcher at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada. "And we have begun to see that this intense and ritualized activity among young adults may result in harmful consequences"

Dr.Samantha Wells also said "Therefore, we need to look closely at the combined impact of various policies affecting bars and young people's drinking and come up with a more comprehensive strategy that will reduce these harmful styles of drinking among young people,"

Now lets see what the experts from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health suggest to curb the widening arms of the menacing habit, pre-drinking that embrace the youngsters.

Development of policies that cut down the imbalances between on and off premise alcohol pricing. The experts suggest that there is a need of developing policies that reduce large imbalances between on and off premise alcohol pricing.

Coming up with new strategies with an aim to attract young people falling under the legal drinking age for an early drinking in bars.

Monitoring the consumption of alcohol by having them served in standardized sizes under the supervision of serving staff.

Educating the youth by bringing in an awareness of the motivations that urge pre drinking like saving money and socializing with friends.

Bars and clubs must try to expand their social function making way for an atmosphere for more intimate socializing.

A change in the policy and programming where drinking norms are changed with promoting moderation.

The report of Pre-Drinking appears in journal Addiction. AGENCIES