The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) conducted a study among schoolchildren, which showed that, compared to 2007, children in Ukraine began trying alcohol, cigarettes and drugs earlier.
Most often, Ukrainian children try alcohol at the age of 13-15 (33% of respondents), and 25% tried alcohol at the age of 10-11. All teenagers at the age of 15-17 tried alcoholic beverages. The weekly amount of alcoholic beverages has slightly decreased overall, but, nevertheless, every tenth sixth-grader, fifth eighth-grader and third high school student drinks at least once a week.
The problem of childhood alcoholism is much more serious than that of adults, since during the period of formation of all physiological functions the disease takes a malignant form, the circle of interests and social circle is deformed and an alcoholic worldview with a vicious scale of values and desires is formed.
Между тем законодательство Украины четко и однозначно определяет возраст, с которого граждане могут приобретать спиртные напитки-18 лет.
The following main causes of childhood alcoholism are identified:
- the birth and stay of children in families with an increased risk factor (most often these are families of alcoholics).
- Drinking alcoholic beverages for the purpose of self-affirmation and resistance to family, school, and problems.
- Alcohol advertising. Commercials promoting beer have helped lift the ban on teenagers drinking this beverage, leading to rapid addiction and the formation of so-called beer addiction and a “beer” lifestyle, which is associated with a cult of strength among young people.
- Watching TV shows and movies rated R (red square in the right corner).
- Imitation of elders, copying false signs of adulthood (smoking, drinking, swearing, sex).
- Disco lifestyle with the use of energy drinks, stimulants and low-alcohol drinks. The flourishing of all sorts of youth subcultures with a passion for parapsychology, esotericism and altered states of consciousness.
- Lack of organized and controlled free time for children and young people. Lack of an accessible (free and low-paid) network of sports clubs, creative centers (dancing, singing, modeling).
Psychotherapists believe that boredom is a direct path to childhood alcoholism. Most often, bad thoughts creep into the head from idleness. Therefore, the task of parents is to fill the child’s leisure time with interesting hobbies and activities as much as possible. And of course, to get rid of the pseudo-cultural traditions of the past on every occasion to “wash down”, “thank”, “show out”, drink out of grief or joy.
В отношении алкоголя никакого либерализма и демократии быть не должно, поскольку алкоголь и дети несовместимые категории.
According to WHO research, Ukraine ranks first in Europe in teenage alcoholism. 40% of young people regularly drink alcohol. Experts say that official statistics are only a tenth of the real statistics.