For psychologists, it is critical to eliminate “all types of alcohol consumption, including that by adults,” in any setting where minors are present.
MADRID (EUROPA PRESS) – Raúl Izquierdo, the technical director of Spain’s Asociación DUAL and a psychologist, warns that minors often replicate their parents’ drinking habits; “if parents frequently misuse alcohol or do so in certain situations, their children are likely to adopt similar behaviors,” he states.
Conversely, “if young people see moderate drinking patterns in their adult role models, focusing on tasting or culinary use, they are more likely to approach alcohol with moderation and at a later age,” he acknowledged during the launch of ‘It’s in Your Hands,’ a new campaign by Asociación DUAL. This initiative is funded by the Government Delegation for the National Drug Plan of the Ministry of Health, aimed at showing young people that the decision to start drinking alcohol is in their hands.
Accordingly, the psychologist believes it is essential to exclude “all types of alcohol consumption, including that by adults,” in any environment where minors are present.
“We need to prevent the regular consumption of alcohol in parks, which has even started to affect children’s play areas, a trend that has been ongoing for decades,” he asserts.
He further notes that in venues used for children’s parties or birthday celebrations, “it’s possible to end up with two simultaneous celebrations: one for the children in the play area and another for the parents at the bar within the same venue. That doesn’t really make sense,” he warns.
Moreover, the expert stresses that parents need to be “aware” that their actions will reflect on their children.
“It’s unacceptable that we are not willing to forego having a beer at a venue or park meant for children if it comes at a high cost,” emphasizes the psychologist from Asociación DUAL.
He also advocates for restricting advertising that is both “direct and indirect” and “evocative” in nature, as is the case with some high-alcohol content drinks “advertised as 0.0 but unashamedly evoke their alcoholic counterparts, preventing consumers from distancing themselves from alcohol consumption,” the psychologist from DUAL asserts.
Joan Ramón Villalbí, the Government Delegate for the National Drug Plan (PNSD), has highlighted the drafting of the Bill for Preventing Alcohol Consumption and Its Effects on Minors, approved by the Council of Ministers in March and currently under parliamentary consideration.
He describes the bill as “very polished,” with contributions from many sectors and ministries to make it “as good as possible.”
The delegate is “hopeful,” as never before has a bill of this nature progressed so far, and he hopes it will pass “without losing its preventative strength.” The bill focuses on alcohol consumption among minors, “where there is great consensus and where we have worked very hard to create a strong piece of legislation,” he acknowledges.
“This is an educational law, and if passed, it will have a very positive impact, setting what society considers reasonable and appropriate regarding alcohol consumption by minors,” the PNSD delegate asserts.
One of the goals is to prevent the presence of alcohol in public spaces frequented by minors, such as near educational centers. “We have introduced some tougher restrictions in these areas because we do not want any consumption or encouragement of consumption,” he explains.
In this context, the delegate reminds that alcohol consumption by minors “is prohibited” and parents “are responsible for their children, with the law providing for sanctions and educational and re-educational measures similar to those in the illegal drugs sector.”
However, he acknowledges that “alcohol is less present in our society than in years past.”
“Society is evolving in its view of alcohol, increasingly recognizing that alcohol is a psychoactive substance and that consumers can become intoxicated, making it inappropriate for minors,” Villalbí concludes.
Other measures aim to reduce and limit advertising of alcoholic beverages in areas frequented by minors.
“From a public health perspective, we would like to further limit advertising of alcoholic beverages, just like we did with tobacco advertising. However, alcoholic beverages are and will continue to be on the market,” the Government Delegate for the National Drug Plan concludes.
