A new study finds that while most Canadian parents are accepting of the fact that their children will drink alcohol, they are unaware of many of the risks of teen drinking, the CanWest News Service reported Sept. 12.

The Ekos Research report also found that some parents buy alcohol or host drinking parties for their kids.

Researchers found that most parents of older teens saw drinking as a normal part of adolescence, but did express concern about drinking that occurs prior to age 15. Few of the parents knew much about the risks of binge drinking among underage youth, however, even though many admitted having binged themselves in the past, as youths and/or adults.

The report was based on a series of 18 focus groups and nine online discussions with teens and their parents. Teens who participated tended to draw a distinction between getting drunk, which was generally acceptable, and "getting wasted," which involved a loss of control and was frowned upon.