Behind the News High: Are teens drinking less?

• Behind the News, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

This video discusses the declines in the number of young people drinking alcohol. It explores the health effects of drinking alcohol, with a focus on brain development. It also discusses the changing drinking culture in Australia. The video includes interviews with Craig Martin (Alcohol and Drug Foundation), and Professor Ian Hickie (Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney). A transcript, curriculum links, focus questions and activities are available on the ABC website.

Video length: 4:14

• Increased knowledge of the health effects of alcohol
• Increased knowledge of trends in alcohol consumption in Australia

Expert Review*:

The video was developed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and includes input from experts. The facts provided about alcohol trends and harms are aligned with current evidence (see Alcohol: Factsheet for more information). It has a high production quality and uses animation to present complex information about the health effects of alcohol in an engaging, relevant, and easy to understand way. The video includes interviews with young Australians to increase relevance to students.

*Review provided by researchers at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney.