[Alcohol consumption among rural area junior secondary school students]

The article is an attempt to analyse the problem of drinking among junior secondary school (Polish: "gymnasium") students living in rural areas. In his research, the author tried to find out the number of teenagers drinking alcohol, the reasons for their drinking, and their own and their parents' points of view on the issue. The research has been presented in a vast context of knowledge about how young people function within their families, i.e. their relations with family members. The students' declarations on their alcohol consumption have been presented on the basis of a questionnaire survey. The respondents were selected carefully, according to specified criteria. The essential criterion was a place of residence, i.e. a rural area. The group under survey consisted of 285 students. They mainly came from full, large or medium-sized families with primary or secondary vocational education. Their relations with parents were correct. The analysis of the empirical material collected shows that more than 80% of teenagers have already had their alcohol initiation, and 90.2% still drink. The most frequently drunk alcohol is beer, then vodka and wine. Wine is the least popular among the students. As far as gender of the respondents is concerned, girls usually drink beer and wine. A disturbing fact is that only 10% of the parents object to their children drinking or getting drunk. The teenagers consumed alcohol to relax, get a feeling of being adult, and to get accepted by their peers. Senior students drink more. The research shows that there is an urgent need for taking preventive actions that should be structured and contain primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.