Are British Youth Drinking And Bingeing More?

Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Article Date: 13 Jun 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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The UK Youth Alcohol Action plan was released in June - targeting alcohol use by underage drinkers. The report cites encouraging evidence:

11 to 15-year-olds drinking regularly has fallen (from 28% in 2001 to 21% in 2006). However, weekly unit consumption, increased from 5 units in 1990 and has remained at 9-11 units between 2000- 07.

Less 11 to 13-year-olds are drinking (14% in 2001 down to 9% in 2006) but that 9% are drinking 10 units a week on average. Between 2001 and 2006, 11 to 15-year-olds who never drink rose from 38% to 46%.

Exposure of youth to TV alcohol adverts fell by 31% (16 - 24 yrs) and 39.0% (10 -15-yrs) 2002-06. Test purchase enforcement campaigns reduced under age purchase failure rate from 50% to 20%, (July 2007 fell to 15%).

However, girls are drinking in excess more than boys - 47% of 15-year-old girls had been drunk at least once in the past month compared with 37% of boys and 9% of alcohol related hospital admissions are aged 18 and under.

Tackling irresponsible parents

Of the 11- 15-year-olds consuming 14 or more units a week, 48% say alcohol came from their parents whilst 42% took it without parental consent. Hence parents of youths caught persistently drinking unsupervised in public places or causing violence and disorder will be subject to parenting orders and could receive a criminal record. Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) will prescribe the young person and parents attending sessions with a trained alcohol worker.

Advisory guidelines will be drawn up for parents

The Chief medical officer will provide comprehensive guidelines for parents to help outline their role and responsibilities as to when and how they should allow alcohol to be drunk at home. The plan states it would not want to interfere in parental rights.

The marginalised targeted

15% of respondents aged 10 - 17 drank weekly; and were responsible for 34% of violent offences committed by this age group. The Government hopes that by introducing a new criminal offence of persistently drinking in public- to be used if parenting orders and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) fail, combined with stronger dispersal powers for the police, should deal more effectively with trouble makers. If passed by parliament ,it will be an offence for under-18s to persistently possess alcohol in a public place.

Bored youth

In 'Aiming High for Young People', the government is addressing the root causes of problems which may lead to drinking. The Youth , a pilot of 20 Intensive Intervention Projects, is working with 1,000 young people, as well as Challenge and Support Projects in 52 areas to reach 15,000 families each year.

The Action plan offers a multi- faceted strategy to reduce underage alcohol use. It is targeted predominantly at irresponsible parents and marginalised youth.

To view the report, please visit here.

http://www.alcoholinmoderation.com
http://www.drinkingandyou.com