Most French people are open to under-18s trying alcohol, study finds

More than two-thirds (70%) of French adults would let under-18s drink alcohol during the Christmas period, according to a recent survey*.
Almost a third of adults (30%) said they would let a child aged under 15 taste alcohol.

The survey also found clear divisions in the attitudes of parents to alcohol:

• One in two parents said that it is not a problem for children to taste alcohol over Christmas while 46% disagreed.

• Drinking alcohol in front of children has no effect on their later alcohol use, say 44% of parents, while 41% disagreed.

The survey is likely to rekindle the debate between health professionals and the spirit, wine and alcohol industry on the role alcohol plays in France’s cultural heritage.

“Studies show that the earlier someone drinks alcohol, the earlier the brain gets used to it, which creates a greater desire to drink again. The earlier we drink, the greater the effects of alcohol on developing organs,” said Emmanuel Ricard, spokesperson for Ligue contre le cancer on France Inter radio.

Age 15 for cider, 16 for champagne

Many French people hold opinions far removed from those of Mr Ricard, according to the survey.

Around 35% of French people and 38% of parents said that giving alcohol to children under 18 has no impact on their later alcohol use as an adult, while 32% think that the Christmas season is an appropriate time for children to try alcohol for the first time.

Many allow their children to have their first taste of cider at age 15, champagne, beer and wine at age 16 and stronger alcohol at age 17, the survey found.

Mr Ricard, one of the many voices that have raised awareness on the danger of alcohol, said that alcohol is among the two main causes for hospitalisation in France.

The French wine lobby has sway

However, such voices have struggled to present the case against alcohol in France, where the wine lobby still has significant sway.

Last week, addiction experts sent an open letter to the Health Minister imploring him to encourage people to observe Dry January, after his government had overseen a string of aborted measures to combat alcoholism.

Read more: French government petitioned to support Dry January

In August 2022, The Connexion interviewed Samuel Montgermont, president of Vin & Société, France’s most powerful lobbyists for the wine industry, who argued the lobby should be consulted on prevention campaigns.

Read more: ‘I fight for wine in French culture, heritage and economy’

“Who is better suited to talk about the effects of the products than the producers themselves?” he said.

*Study conducted by OpinionWay for Ligue contre le cancer on 528 parents of children under 18 via computer assisted web interview from December 12 to 14, 2023.

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