According to a recent poll, Chinese adolescents as young as 12 are frequently consuming alcohol.

The poll, done by the National Institute for Nutrition and Health of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, surveyed 30,605 junior and senior high school students between 12 and 20 years old in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jinan, Chengdu and Harbin.

It found that 51 percent of teens have tried alcohol, while 15 percent have admitted being drunk. Of the children that have consumed alcohol, 62 percent said they frequently drink at parties, while 53 percent said they often drink at family dinners.

Another poll on underage drinking showed that A quarter of respondents admitted to trying alcohol before the age of ten.a quarter of respondents admitted to trying alcohol before the age of ten. As well, 30 percent admitted to drinking as a social enabler, saying that “gathering in groups but not drinking is unsociable”.

China banned underage drinking in 2006 over concerns that permissive parents have encouraged minors to drink. However, implementation of the ban sparked confusion since it was “merely a regulation, not a law”. Almost ten years later, it seems nothing has changed. Professor of public health at Peking University Ma Guansheng said although Chinese laws prohibit selling alcohol to juniors, the laws are difficult to enforce.

“Alcohol abuse among minors has been pretty much ignored in schools and society as compared to drug use or even smoking cigarettes,” said Sun Yunxiao of the China Youth Research Centre. “There has never been an effective mechanism like there is overseas for preventing the problem.” Countries like the USA require identity cards to purchase alcohol, and enforce regulations with harsh penalties. By contrast, people who sell to minors in China can be fined RMB 2,000 ($322).

Sociologists say the rise of underage drinking is due to a growing middle class and greater independence among young people to use their money to go to restaurants, bars, and karaoke parlors.   The report also teenagers are unaware about the harmful effects of alcohol use. Many believe high-quality liquor or wine is not harmful to human health, or that drinking beer is no different from drinking water.

Underage drinking has been an issue in China for a while now. In 2006, People’s Daily reported 25 percent of middle-school students and up to 80 percent of high schoolers have consumed alcohol. A 1997 survey had similar results.