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Drinking and Young Children

Children as young as five can consume alcohol under parental guidance in the UK, reveals a report released by Alcohol Concern, a national voluntary agency on alcohol misuse.

The report, Half Glass Empty states that the legal age for drinking alcohol is still 5 in the UK when alcohol consumption among girls aged between 11 and 13 has shot up by 82.6% while among boys belonging to the same age group, it has increased by 43.4% between 2000 and 2006.

Srabani Sen, chief executive of Alcohol Concern says, “Binge drinking by children can have serious consequences for brain function, significantly raises the risk of alcohol dependency in later life and diminishes their life chances. Our report shows that we are simply not doing enough to protect our children from alcohol.”

Another spokesperson of the organisation says, “The legal age for drinking should be raised to 15 at least. We are constantly lobbying and campaigning for it.”

To educate parents about the potential hazards associated with childrens’ alcohol consumption, Alcohol Concern recommends a tightening of laws around underage access and the purchasing of drinks and commercials that randomly encourage juvenile drinking.

Alcohol Concerns’ report assesses the impact of Government’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy on the society. It shows that 82% of films in cinemas featuring alcohol related adverts have a rating of 15 or below.

According to the recent Home Office AMEC (test purchasing) campaign, 29% of underage participants were able to buy alcohol in pubs and bars, while 21% did so in off-license premises. Local police and trading standard units must prosecute these perpetrators.

A new study conducted by American researchers of the State University of New York and University at Buffalo tells a starkly different story. It reveals that women who drink in moderation have a lower chance of heart attack than those who never drink.

Whatever the findings are, they will not deter Alcohol Concern from preaching alcohol education as part of the National Curriculum. The report reveals that around 14% of pupils expelled from school were as a result of them drinking alcohol at school.