Historique
Article de Périodique
Zero alcohol products and adolescents: A tool for harm reduction or a trojan horse? (2025)
Auteur(s) :
BOOTH, L. ;
KERIC, D. ;
BOWDEN, J. ;
BARTRAM, A. ;
SENGUPTA, A. ;
PETTIGREW, S.
Année
2025
Page(s) :
art. 107582
Langue(s) :
Anglais
Domaine :
Alcool
Discipline :
EPI (Epidémiologie / Epidemiology)
Thésaurus géographique
AUSTRALIE
Thésaurus mots-clés
ALCOOL
;
ADOLESCENT
;
BOISSON SANS ALCOOL
;
REDUCTION DES RISQUES ET DES DOMMAGES
;
FOCUS GROUP
;
ETUDE TRANSVERSALE
;
FACTEUR DE RISQUE
;
MARKETING
;
VENTE
;
IMAGE
Résumé :
Introduction: Zero alcohol products (ZAPs) could reduce alcohol-related harms by acting as a substitute for alcoholic beverages. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential for these products to expose young people to additional alcohol-related stimuli, further normalising alcohol use and acting as a gateway to underage alcohol consumption. Scarce research has examined whether these concerns are warranted.
Method: This project comprised two parts involving Australian adolescents aged 15-17 years. Part 1 was a series of 5 online focus groups (n = 44) that provided initial insights into perceptions of and experiences with ZAPs. Part 2 was a national online survey (n = 679) that assessed the generalisability of the focus group findings and identified factors associated with ZAP-related attitudinal and behavioural outcomes.
Results: ZAPs were found to be salient and attractive to Australian adolescents. Over a third of surveyed adolescents (37%) had tried ZAPs. The focus group participants and survey respondents generally perceived ZAPs in a positive light, seeing them as a useful alternative to alcohol for both adolescents and adults who want to circumvent social expectations to use alcohol. Some of the study participants acknowledged the potential for ZAPs to serve as a gateway to alcohol use and recommended reducing their visibility and accessibility.
Conclusion: ZAPs are likely exposing minors to additional alcohol-related stimuli potentially increasing their risk of underage alcohol consumption. Regulatory responses to ZAPS need to protect young people from the potential adverse consequences of ZAPs exposure while enabling the products to be used by adults as an alcohol substitute. [Author's abstract]
Method: This project comprised two parts involving Australian adolescents aged 15-17 years. Part 1 was a series of 5 online focus groups (n = 44) that provided initial insights into perceptions of and experiences with ZAPs. Part 2 was a national online survey (n = 679) that assessed the generalisability of the focus group findings and identified factors associated with ZAP-related attitudinal and behavioural outcomes.
Results: ZAPs were found to be salient and attractive to Australian adolescents. Over a third of surveyed adolescents (37%) had tried ZAPs. The focus group participants and survey respondents generally perceived ZAPs in a positive light, seeing them as a useful alternative to alcohol for both adolescents and adults who want to circumvent social expectations to use alcohol. Some of the study participants acknowledged the potential for ZAPs to serve as a gateway to alcohol use and recommended reducing their visibility and accessibility.
Conclusion: ZAPs are likely exposing minors to additional alcohol-related stimuli potentially increasing their risk of underage alcohol consumption. Regulatory responses to ZAPS need to protect young people from the potential adverse consequences of ZAPs exposure while enabling the products to be used by adults as an alcohol substitute. [Author's abstract]
Affiliation :
The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Australia
Cancer Council Western Australia, Subiaco, WA, Australia
National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia
Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia
Cancer Council Western Australia, Subiaco, WA, Australia
National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia
Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia