New Government plans to tackle the problem of under age drug and alcohol abuse are not addressing the "core factors", the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) said today.
In a statement, the ISPCC said the new measures only focus on controlling supply and public exposure to alcohol, while to deal with the problem effectively, the Government must "tackle attitudes and usage at a broader societal level".
The society expressed concern at the "lack of cohesiveness" of discussions on the issue and called for young people "actively engaging" in discussing the reasons behind this problem and ways to help delay the age of first usage of alcohol and drugs.
They said education and intervention needs "to focus primarily on misusage while all the time discouraging usage".
The "core issues" underpinning drug and alcohol usage by young people are self esteem, self awareness, psychological and emotional health, and parents and families attitudes and practice on alcohol and drug usage, according to the ISPCC.
They also drew attention to advertising, social and economic changes and "changing life attitudes" as contributing to the rise in teen drinking.