Drinking problem in Spain

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by Suenneil

I was interested to read this article and wondered what other people think .... banning Happy Hour ? would this really reduce the drinking in Spain ? particularly amongst "minors" ? I wouldnt have thought minors were partaking of the benefits of Happy Hour ??? Another interesting point that I didnt understand

"traditional Mediterranean pattern of drinking is being abandoned while less moderate "Nordic patterns" are emerging"

Nordic patterns ????

Sue

Happy Hour Ban

By James Parkes Costa News Oct 2009
COSTA bar owners fear a severe drop in customers if the Valencia Region decides to follow suit with Cataluña, which has this week issued the first ban in Spain on Happy Hours (two drinks for the price of one) in bars and discos.

Although the ban initially benefits the Costa Blanca, as tourists are expected to shun the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada due to the ban, bar owners fear the Catalan example will spread.

Those found breaking the ban will be fined between 3,000 and 600,000 euros.

Experts believe other regions, will follow suit, more so after a report this week showed alcohol abuse in Spain has soared.

The report concludes that the traditional Mediterranean pattern of drinking is being abandoned while less moderate "Nordic patterns" are emerging.

"The new consumption habit which is developing between Spanish youths, including minors," it says, "is characterised by alcohol consumption associated with leisure and weekend, times when large amounts of alcohol, especially distilled spirits, are drunk."

The study, which was developed by Madrid-based distillers Diageo and the IESE Business School at Navarra University, is part of their joint corporate responsibility strategy and calls special attention to the availability of alcohol to minors.

I watched a news report about it from Barcelona

I have to admit to being a little miffed that a 'Brit' bar was chosen to illustrate the point - as if only 'foreigners' were guilty of 'over-drinking'


a report about the weather in Barcelona came from outside a clearly Spanish bar


I used to teach a 16 year old spanish boy - he freely admitted to me that he spent his weekends drinking whisky with his mates at botellones


as did a 15 year old english boy...................

it clearly is a habit with teens from both countries - whether it's a new habit for spanish kids I have no definitive proof either way

[Caz.I]

Banning Happy Hour will not stop people binge drinking, nor will banning the Botellones.
If people, of any age, want to drink to excess they will find a way. Unfortunately.

In my day - ok we are going back a bit here, as teenagers - we always found a way. In Scotland a carry-oot was actually an early form of botellon. That's what Hogmanay (New Years eve for those not fluent) in the centre of Glasgow and Edinburgh is really. However, as a weekly event, I dont think its taken off in the same way as Spain, mainly due to the freezing temperatures.

We would bribe someone's big brother to buy it and then hopefully find someone whose parents had gone out for the night, so we could drink it in comfort. Or else sneak it into the local disco. Teenagers are so sneaky - or resourceful, depending how you look at it. That is why when mine reaches that difficult age, I think I am just going to have to chain him to the house till he's about 30-something.

Though I have to admit that I was shocked when in the school I work in, during a class exercise on creating their own newspaper, one group said they wanted to do a school survey, asking pupils which they preferred - drinking or smoking? They were 12/13.

[JBODEN]

Originally Posted by Caz.I

... a school survey, asking pupils which they preferred - drinking or smoking? They were 12/13.

That's the 'drugs' bit sorted. It only leaves them sex and rock&roll.

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by JBODEN

That's the 'drugs' bit sorted. It only leaves them sex and rock&roll.

well they can legally have sex at 13









so that leaves the rock n roll

[JBODEN]

Originally Posted by xabiachica

well they can legally have sex at 13

What was Roman Polanski doing in the USA? He should have come to Spain! Sorry, that's sick. 13 year old's & sex????

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by JBODEN

What was Roman Polanski doing in the USA? He should have come to Spain! Sorry, that's sick. 13 year old's & sex????

only with each other though - that's the spirit rather than the letter of the law

so probably he'd have still been arrested here

spain isn't alone - age of consent worldwide


the Vatican State has 12 as the age of consent

[Tallulah]

Originally Posted by JBODEN

What was Roman Polanski doing in the USA? He should have come to Spain! Sorry, that's sick. 13 year old's & sex????

I know, it's worrying isn't it. I'm going to lock my three up.

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by Tallulah

I know, it's worrying isn't it. I'm going to lock my three up.

I'm just glad that my 13 year old has her head screwed on

we watched - with her 10 year old sister - Madres Adolescentes


I was proud of some of the scarily sensible comments they were both making



there was a 15 year old girl at dd1's school who was pregnant last year - my dd reckoned she was just plain stupid to a) have sex so young in the first place & b) get pregnant if she was stupid enough to have sex

looking at some of my dd's friends they have the bodies of children

my dd has the body of a woman & can easily look 18 if she wants to - so fingers crossed she keeps thinking straight

[Tallulah]

Originally Posted by xabiachica

I'm just glad that my 13 year old has her head screwed on

we watched - with her 10 year old sister - Madres Adolescentes

I was proud of some of the scarily sensible comments they were both making



there was a 15 year old girl at dd1's school who was pregnant last year - my dd reckoned she was just plain stupid to a) have sex so young in the first place & b) get pregnant if she was stupid enough to have sex

looking at some of my dd's friends they have the bodies of children

my dd has the body of a woman & can easily look 18 if she wants to - so fingers crossed she keeps thinking straight

Morning XC!!

...yes, we saw that advertised on the telly. I think the kids were pretty shocked by it. Which is a very good thing....I'll have to see if I can get a copy.

...I know, my soon-to-be 12 yo dd is already raiding my wardroble. I've given them the "talk" already, but I think it's time to dig out a really good book I've got on all this, which includes all the STIs information etc....because god knows what, if any sex ed they get at school. I'll have to try and find out.

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by Tallulah

[/COLOR]

Morning XC!!

...yes, we saw that advertised on the telly. I think the kids were pretty shocked by it. Which is a very good thing....I'll have to see if I can get a copy.

...I know, my soon-to-be 12 yo dd is already raiding my wardroble. I've given them the "talk" already, but I think it's time to dig out a really good book I've got on all this, which includes all the STIs information etc....because god knows what, if any sex ed they get at school. I'll have to try and find out.

it was a series on cuatro - finished now

I thought it was very well done - very balanced


we've never had 'the talk' - just answered questions as they came up


from what both my girls have told me sex ed seems to be very well done at both their schools (yes, even the primary school)

lots of factual info about contraception & STIs - and pregnancy