Μake us preferred on Google Alcohol consumption among minors in Greece is raising growing concern as children are reportedly being introduced to drinking at increasingly younger ages, with hospitals recording a rise in cases requiring medical care.
Children as young as 12 to 14 are consuming alcohol, often under peer pressure or influenced by adult behavior, according to experts and health professionals.
Chrysoula Mavraki, a psychopedagogue, stressed the important role of families in addressing the problem, calling on parents to set clear boundaries and serve as healthy role models for their children.
“Pre-adolescence now begins at nine and adolescence at 11,” Mavraki said, adding that research shows children are beginning to drink at increasingly younger ages, “from 12, from 13.”
“What 17- and 18-year-olds did in the past is now being done by 13- and 14-year-olds,” she said, describing the trend as “a real scourge.”
Nine children hospitalized in six weeks
The scale of the problem is reflected in hospital data from the island of Crete.
Giorgos Beas, director of the General Hospital of Chania “Agios Georgios,” said that nine children, around 14 years old, were hospitalized because of alcohol consumption during July and August — a period of just one and a half months.
The children were admitted to the hospital’s pediatric department and initially treated in the pediatric emergency department.
The latest incident involved three children between the ages of 13 and 14 who were hospitalized after an outdoor children’s party.
In another case, a 15-year-old was found riding a scooter while under the influence of alcohol.
Beas said minors sometimes arrive at the hospital in a semi-conscious state and receive the necessary medical care before being discharged.
He also noted that Greece’s law governing the consumption and sale of alcohol to minors was tightened in 2025, while stressing the responsibility of all relevant institutions to maintain consistent and ongoing prevention efforts.
According to Beas, the cases involve children from all types of families.
Alcohol consumption outside businesses
The food service industry says it is also taking steps to prevent minors from accessing alcohol.
Nikos Malapetsas, president of the food service sector in Kalamata and a member of the board of the Panhellenic Federation of Food Service and Tourism Enterprises, said the industry is strictly committed to not serving alcohol to minors.
He said responsibility for protecting children lies primarily with business owners and professionals, but noted that many incidents involve alcohol consumed outside establishments, including in open spaces or products purchased from kiosks and supermarkets.
Malapetsas also said alcohol consumption among young people has declined in recent years as they have become more aware of its consequences and risks. Prevention, he said, requires cooperation between families, businesses and the state.
At the same time, he pointed to cases in which parents allow their children to consume alcohol at taverns or restaurants. He said businesses that sell alcohol to minors are few and that authorities must enforce the law strictly.
Parents urged to set clear boundaries
Mavraki emphasized that children’s behavior is heavily influenced by what they observe at home.
Parents, she said, should model moderate alcohol consumption and avoid allowing children to see them lose control. She also urged parents to establish clear rules at children’s parties, including a strict prohibition on alcohol.
“The fun is in the company, in reciprocity, in companionship,” she said, arguing that children should learn that socializing does not require alcohol.
She also stressed the importance of parents being willing to say “no” and explaining their decisions in ways children can understand, including through personal experiences rather than presenting themselves as perfect role models.
The broader response, according to the experts quoted, should focus on prevention, stricter enforcement and closer cooperation among families, schools, government authorities and food service professionals.
The goal is to prevent alcohol consumption among minors from becoming a dangerous habit with potentially serious consequences for their health and lives.
