And a Launceston youth worker says children in the city as young as 10 are drinking at high-risk levels while many 14-year-olds are drinking every day.

Launceston's Laurel House provides support for victims of sexual abuse daily.

Manager Marg Dean said while young women had offered themselves for sex in exchange for alcohol, responsibility rested more so on the adults providing liquor to underage drinkers.

``It's really the adults that are taking advantage of these kids, providing the alcohol in order to have sex,'' she said.

``Fourteen is probably the average age and there would be some kids that are even younger who are being exploited by adults and older kids taking advantage of them with alcohol and drugs.

``We're constantly worried about the level of sexual assault that is happening in the community with kids.''

The last Australian Secondary Students Drug and Alcohol Survey, taken by 1901 students in 2008, showed 16 per cent of 12- to 15-year-olds, and 48 per cent of 16- to 17-year-olds, reported risky alcohol consumption.

Launceston youth worker Mardie Blair, who works with the city's most at-risk teens, said children as young as 14 were drinking every day.

She co-ordinates Anglicare's youth support program and said she had worked with children as young as 10 who drink at near high-risk levels.

``For the 14-year-olds that we see, drinking every day is quite normal,'' Miss Blair said.

``It's affecting their lifestyle and education, and they probably don't even realise it's a problem for them because it is used as a coping mechanism.

``They are generally having pre-mixed drinks or anything that is easy to get. At the higher end of the scale are kids drinking bottles of Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam, straight out of the bottle.''

Miss Blair said heavy teenage drinkers used whatever means they could to get alcohol but was reluctant to comment on specifics.

``Like anyone I guess, they find ways to get their needs met,'' she said.

``They're very resourceful and do put themselves at risk to get the alcohol.''