Almost half of Australian teenagers who drink alcohol say they get it from their parents, prompting fresh warnings from researchers as families prepare for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
A Flinders University study released late last year, showed parental supply remains the most common source of alcohol for adolescents, despite health guidelines recommending young people avoid drinking until at least 18.
The national survey of 1,197 parents found more than 40 per cent believe an acceptable drinking age is 17 or younger, and 11 per cent admitted giving alcohol for unsupervised use. Nearly half thought other parents were doing the same.
Professor Jacqueline Bowden, Director of the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, says the festive season is a critical time to rethink habits.
"The season is about connection, not consumption. Research shows that parental supply increases the chance of risky drinking and that the cues we model at home matter," says Professor Bowden from the College of Medicine and Public Health.
"Simple choices like offering truly alcohol-free options, setting clear expectations and talking openly about why waiting is safer can make a real difference."
Researchers also warn that zero-alcohol drinks may not be the safe alternative many assume. Experiments found teenagers exposed to zero-alcohol advertising reacted almost the same way as they did to ads for alcoholic beverages, with most images triggering alcohol-related associations.
Experts say this could reinforce drinking culture rather than reduce it, especially when these products look and taste like alcohol and are sold in places where traditional alcohol is restricted.
Alcohol remains a Group 1 carcinogen and is a major contributor to disease burden and death among Australians aged 15 to 24.
"The rise of zero-alcohol products adds complexity to efforts to delay and reduce adolescent exposure," says Professor Bowden.
Gendered risks are also in focus. National profiling shows more than 300,000 Australian women regularly drink at very high-risk levels - defined as 11 or more standard drinks in a single sitting at least once a month.
While men are more likely overall to drink heavily, women face unique vulnerabilities, including greater susceptibility to severe alcohol-related health problems.
Professor Bowden says families don't need to avoid alcohol altogether to make celebrations safer.
"Families can enjoy celebrations without normalising alcohol. Practical steps include planning non-alcoholic rituals, keeping alcohol out of youth-focused activities and choosing drinks that don't mimic the branding of alcoholic products," she says.
"With many teens already choosing not to drink, we believe there is momentum to make gatherings safer and more inclusive without sacrificing joy or tradition."
Support and advice are available through the National Alcohol and Other Drugs Hotline.
These findings form part of a body of work led by Flinders University's National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), based on multiple peer-reviewed studies published between 2023 and 2025 in health and behavioural science journals.
