BLUE-COLLAR WORLD OF WORK, DRINK, DRUGS

YOUNG people working in non-professional trades binge-drink, smoke and use
drugs at "much higher levels" than other youths, research shows.

Builders, hairdressers and manufacturing workers aged 15 to 25 lead the
most "toxic" lifestyles, an Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and
Society study reveals.

The study of 400 young workers across five trades found:

SIXTY-ONE per cent of young people in the building industry regularly
consumed more than seven drinks in one session.

YOUNG building industry workers were the most common users of marijuana and
other illicit drugs.

ALMOST two-thirds of young builders had three or more sexual partners in
the previous 12 months.

HAIRDRESSERS were the heaviest smokers, with 71 per cent regularly lighting up.

Research fellow Jo Lindsay, who led the study, said many non-professional
industries had a "party image" where drinking and drug use were taken for
granted.

"(Hairdressing) has always had a big party culture. They're concerned with
body image and fashion and they're out having fun," she said. "There's also
a very strong drinking culture in the building industry and that has been
the case for years and years. "These young people are taking risks in their
social lives at least as much if not more than young people in professional
jobs."

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union state secretary Martin
O'Malley said he was "not surprised" by the high numbers of young building
industry workers who drank excessively.

"(They) work long hours, it's hard work and if they can get a day off it
doesn't surprise me that people really hit (alcohol) hard because that's
their release for the week," he said.

The CFMEU had implemented a drug and alcohol education program for building
industry workers.

SA Drug and Alcohol Services Council senior project officer David Watts
said many young workers used alcohol to impress older colleagues.

"If you were a young male and a builder's labourer drinking with older
workers, there would be a lot of pressure to keep up and be a man," he said.

"They want to be like their mates."

Ms Lindsay said non-professional industries should implement health
programs for their young workers.