Hong Kong children drinking alcohol as young as 10, study finds
Survey conducted by Polytechnic University reveals shocking drinking habits of the city’s youth, triggering calls to tighten sales
Younger people are starting to drink at just 10 years old, according to a new survey, renewing calls to strengthen regulation around the sale of alcohol to people aged below 18 years old.
The survey, conducted by Polytechnic University’s school of nursing, revealed that 38 per cent of the 840 Form Three students from six secondary schools interviewed had drinking experiences.
The survey found that on average, respondents started drinking at 10.9 years old. Those who drank were also 4.65 times more likely than non-drinkers to develop behavioural problems, such as school absence or refusal to submit homework.
Peer influence was identified as a key factor in drinking among youngsters. Students with friends that drank were almost 33 times more likely to consume alcohol than those without such friends.
“The finding was shocking and worrying,” president of the Academy of Nursing and university professor Frances Wong Kam-yuet said.
Doctors warned that consuming alcohol at early ages could cause irreversible brain damage and hamper children's development.