A local report on youth alcohol, nicotine and drug use will help inform work of Wanaka Alcohol Group (WAG) in the future.

Released this week, ‘Harming Me, Harming You’ found that among respondents, all Year 9-11 high school students in Wanaka, 43 per cent classed themselves as regular drinkers and more than half the students who have tried alcohol have consumed it in the past four weeks (55 per cent), most likely between 1-3 times (46 per cent).

Thirty-four percent of students reported drinking alone; 47 per cent are drinking with people who are not friends or family; and 37 per cent report binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks over four hours).

The most commonly used substance after alcohol was found to be marijuana, with 47 per cent of Year 11s accepting its use by peers. In the same age group, nicotine usage was accepted by 24 per cent; party pills and smokable products by 29 per cent; and other drugs which cause a ‘high or trip’ by 22 per cent.

WAG coordinator Bronwyn Coers said the figures were of concern, particularly as they reported double-digit increases in many categories since the last report was completed in 2018.

“This report confirms the need for the community to share the responsibility, and work collaboratively to educate and support the parents and caregivers to have the hard conversations around alcohol, other drugs and reducing youth harm,” Bronwyn told the Wanaka App.

The report authors described a “drastic increase” in the acceptance of drug use among respondents.

The report was compiled by Research First following a survey by WAG of around 350 Mount Aspiring College (MAC) students in September 2020.

Research First said there had been a “statistically significant” rise in Year 11s’ incidence of alcohol consumption and a “drastic increase” in the number of students who believe substance use is acceptable since the last report.

Students report engaging in a range of damaging behaviour while drinking: One quarter can remember being injured following drinking alcohol in the past 12 months (27 per cent) and 17 per cent report behaviour that could result in serious trouble as a result of drinking alcohol.

Most student drinkers receive their alcohol from friends (65 per cent) or parents (62 per cent) as a gift and “alarmingly, there have been large increases to the proportion of students who will steal or take alcohol from others without consent,” the report said. 

One third will take it without their parents’ knowledge or consent (34 per cent), up 18 per cent since 2018; approximately a quarter will steal the alcohol (22 per cent), up 10 per cent; and students who do buy alcohol report few restrictions, with almost 60 per cent reporting almost never having to supply their ID.

Bronwyn said the local survey results, while worrying, were consistent with national trends.

According to a Health Promotion Agency report, ‘Alcohol and Young People’, young people think drinking is okay and that risky drinking is common practice. Overall, 61 per cent of young New Zealanders aged 12-24 drink alcohol with about a third classed as binge drinkers, and another third as moderate drinkers. 

Students surveyed for the ‘Harming Me, Harming You’ report said they drink to have fun (78 per cent), enjoy parties (56 per cent) or to get drunk (51 per cent).

Find the full ‘‘Harming Me, Harming You’ report, as well as more information about youth drug use and advice for parents, at the MAC website’s ‘Parenting 101’ page here.

PHOTOS: Supplied

See also:

Spotlight on youth, alcohol and drugs