Norway: Increasing parental acceptance of underage drinking

A survey by Vinmonopolet indicates a rising trend in Norwegian parents accepting underage alcohol consumption. One in five parents now believes children should be allowed to consume moderate amounts of alcohol outside the home, an increase from one in seven in 2022 and one in eight in 2018.

Data shows that one in ten parents have served alcohol at home or sent their children to parties with alcohol in the last three months. Research suggests a correlation between parental drinking habits and these attitudes; parents who began drinking at an early age are more likely to accept earlier alcohol consumption for their children. Additionally, a previous study by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) noted that the percentage of 15-to-16-year-olds reporting that parents provided alcohol for parties had doubled over a five-year period.