COPENHAGEN Anton Krüger17, and Christopher Steen, 18, find their favorite beer on the store shelf quickly. Danish, of course. The boys don’t necessarily drink every week, but when they do, the beer tastes good.
– At least twelve cans… If it’s a fun night, you can have more, the boys say.
The Market in Copenhagen offers a wide selection of wines and spirits. Legally, boys have been able to buy beer and wine already at the age of 16, and now Steen, who is an adult, can also buy strong alcoholic beverages if he wishes. From almost all stores and anytime during their opening hours.
Drinking habits of young Finns European average
Krüger and Steen are not the only Danish youths who like to drink a lot and often. Compared to many European peers, Danish youth are clearly thirstier. This is explained by, among others, the World Health Organization from the reportwhich involved a total of 227,000 schoolchildren from 45 European countries and Canada.
The report, based on a survey of 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds, says that, roughly speaking, Bulgarians and Greeks have tasted alcohol at an average younger age than other Europeans of the same age. But among 15-year-olds, the Danes jump to the top of the list. According to the survey, more than 80 percent of Danes have tasted alcohol at some point in their lives, while in Finland, a good 60 percent of 15-year-olds had drunk. The European average was 59 percent.
In addition, Danish 15-year-olds had drunk themselves more often than others. Danish youth alcohol consumption had increased in all age groups, while in Finland and many other European countries alcohol consumption among young people has been in the bill.
In most countries, boys have been drinking alcohol at a younger age, more and get drunk more often than girls.
Researcher: The discussion about raising the age limit is exceptional in Denmark
In Denmark, it has been discussed whether the age limit for mild alcoholic beverages should be raised from 16 to 18. The previous Social Democrat government talked about raising the age limit, but the issue has not been at the top of the new government’s pile of papers.
Health organizations are in favor and demari youth criticize the proposal. 17-year-old Anton Krüger does not see a problem with the law.
– The current practice is quite smart. Young people get to gradually get used to alcohol, instead of switching directly to spirits.
Researcher at the Danish Institute of Public Health Veronica Pisinger says that there has gradually been pressure from various actors in society to raise the purchase age, as more information has become available about the effects of alcohol and the consumption of alcohol by Danes compared to other countries. In Denmark, for example, every month one young person dies in an alcohol-related accident.
– The discussion about the age limit is already a record in itself. I can’t say whether the politicians will take this forward, but some kind of culture change is underway.
The phrase, familiar to many, has its roots in the Danish comedy about Jeppe, who no one asks himself why he gets drunk.
Researcher Veronica Pisinger points out that, in general, Danes don’t start drinking very early in their early teens, but when they do, they drink a lot. In Denmark, drinking is much more acceptable than in other parts of the world, Pisinger explains.
– It is not unusual for parents to give their child permission to drink.
You can quickly notice the culture in Denmark. At children’s birthdays, adults are served a few beers or a couple of glasses of sparkling wine. Saturday grocery shopping at the local Market has champagne tastings here. Next to it, there is perhaps a special offer basket full of wines and stronger drinks at a heavily reduced price in a Finnish way. And you can go to the university campus bar to drink a pint of draft beer at the end of the lecture.
Pisinger describes that alcohol use is like an entrance ticket to, for example, the work and student community.
Young people celebrate on the grass of Faelledparken.
According to Copenhagen teenagers Anton Krüger and Kristoffer Steen, there should be an intervention in the marketing of alcohol.
– For example, the colorful bottles and sweetness of lemonades attract young people to buy alcohol. There shouldn’t be any.
Krüger and Steen say it’s up to parents to discuss responsible drinking. They themselves do not drink in the company of their parents.
But do parents know that they are drinking when they party with their friends?
– Of course, the boys say almost in unison.
The subject can be discussed until 11 June 2023 at 11 pm.