Warning of dangers of supplying large amount of alcohol to young people

The Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) says a second case of a teenager ending up in a coma as a result of alcohol was a timely reminder of the dangers of young people experimenting with alcohol.

It was also a sobering lesson for anyone who supplied alcohol to minors, said ALAC Chief Executive Officer Gerard Vaughan.

A man yesterday pleaded guilty in the Nelson District Court this week to a charge of buying alcohol to supply to a minor. The court was told a 13-year-old boy was flown to hospital in a coma after he and his underage friend drank vodka bought for them by the 22-year-old.

This case followed an incident earlier this month when another 13-year-old in Wanaka also ended up in a coma in hospital after consuming large amounts of alcohol in a short time.

ALAC Chief Executive Officer Gerard Vaughan said youth and alcohol could be a lethal mix particularly when large amounts of high strength alcohol were consumed in a short time.

“In both cases, the young boys recovered. However, in other cases the results have been fatal.”

Mr Vaughan said anyone supplying alcohol to minors – whether legally or illegally – should be aware of the potential tragic consequences.

“Young people are risk takers and when alcohol is thrown into the mix the results can be disastrous.”