U.K. youth drinking more

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 33

U.K. youth drinking more

NZPA-Reuter London For the first time this century, British teenagers are more at risk from the bottle than drinkers aged over 30 and the problem of under-age drinking could be out of control by 1990, says a report on alcohol. “Under-21s now account for one in four of all drunkenness convictions compared with one in 12 30 years ago,” the report by the independent Institute of Alcohol Studies said. “Such evidence should

shake both parents and government from their complacency about the dangers of alcohol abuse,” said the institute’s director, Derek Rutherford. “Under-age drinking is rampant and if not seriously tackled will be completely out of hand by the end of the decade.” The statistics for teenagers contrast with figures showing that drinking in other agegroups has declined, the report said. The legal drinking age in Britain is 18.

“For the first time this century 16-year-olds are more at risk from drunkenness than the middleaged (age range 30 to 60),” the report said. “We even have reports of children aged nine and 10 drinking heavily,” an institute spokesman told Reuters. “It is very common for children to start drinking at the age of 12 or 13.” “Drinking has become much more acceptable and alcohol has got cheaper in real terms and has become more readily available,” he said.