It is difficult to know when to raise the issue of alcohol with one's child and what to say. Most children know about alcohol from the early stages of their lives and the ideal would be to talk about alcohol consumption before they start experimenting with it.

Try not to force the discussion on this – it is better to wait until it comes up in a conversation. You can find an online article about alcohol or something on TV or wait until your child asks you. Do what you feel is most comfortable for you and your family, but it would be best to discuss the matter before your child starts experimenting with alcohol or facing pressure from his or her friends.

At this point, it is useful to know that in the ESPAD survey conducted in 2011, 62% of the students interviewed in the first year of high school in public schools in Cyprus stated that they had tried alcohol at the age of 13 or earlier (compared to 57% on average in 35 countries, of which 23 are European Union countries).

Other elements that are good to know from the 2011 ESPAD:

  • One in two students in Cyprus (49% vs 37% average from a total of 35 countries, of which 23 are EU countries) reported that in the last thirty days, they bought alcoholic beverages for their consumption (off-premise).
  • Consumption in bars, discotheques, etc. (on-premise) in the last 30 days in Cyprus mounts to 69% (compared to 45% on average from a total of 35 countries, of which 23 are EU countries).
  • Some 82% of students interviewed in Cyprus consumed alcohol at least once in the last 12 months (compared to the 79% average from a total of 34 countries, of which 23 are EU countries).
  • Some 70% of students interviewed in Cyprus consumed alcohol at least once in the last 30 days (compared to the 57% average from a total of 34 countries, of which 23 are EU countries).
  • Some 14% of students interviewed in Cyprus said they had been drunk at least once in the last 30 days (compared to the 17% average from a total of 34 countries, of which 23 are EU countries).
  • Regarding the index of heavy episodic drinking, it has been found that on average 4 out of 10 (39%) European students aged 15-16 consumed 5 or more alcoholic beverages on one occasion in the last 30 days. Cyprus exceeds the European average (44%), while during the last year of ESPAD (2011), there was a significant increase (by 10 percentage points) in the rate of heavy episodic drinking, compared to the previous year of the survey (2007). This indicator is even more worrying in the case of boys where the figures are as follows: Cyprus 56% (compared to 43% on average from a total of 32 countries, of which 21 are EU countries).