Teaching kids good sense with alcohol doesn't start when they're 15 - by that age they've spent years watching their parents' drinking habits and are ready to copy them. When children are small, let them see you drinking responsibly. Stress the importance of not drinking and driving - and not riding in a car with a driver who is over the limit. It's good if parents and teenagers can agree on a plan in case they or the person driving them home has drunk too much. Tell them you can ring home and ask for a lift or taxi fare, or arrange to stay overnight with a friend, rather than risk driving.
Some teenagers drink cocktails which mix two or three or more nips of different spirits together.
They may think one cocktail equals one drink, when it really equals three standard drinks. Remind them that alcohol poses a greater risk to young people because of their smaller body size. A 14 year-old girl or boy drinking that amount would do themselves harm. When they're out with friends, encourage them to look after each other. They should agree to stick together and not try to get home alone.