Alcohol and young people

Alcohol is related to these problems:

• 88% Criminal damage 19% Drownings 78% Assaults

• 40% 13 and 14 year olds were drunk or stoned when they first experienced sexual intercourse.

• 33% 15-year-old boys get into fights after drinking.

The University of Glasgow examined young people's changing reasons for drinking

• 12 - 13 year olds use alcohol to experience the adult world, to satisfy their curiosity, to start socialising and to say they have tried alcohol. They  experiment with any available drink.

• 14 - 15 year olds are testing out their own limits and having fun. They enjoy losing control occasionally, getting drunk and sharing the experience with others. They prefer their drinks relatively strong, cheap and pleasant tasting.

• 16 - 17 year olds are anxious to show their maturity and experience by drinking more like adults. They want to appear adult and sophisticated and to impress their boyfriends and girlfriends.

(Hughes, K et al 1997 Young people, alcohol and designer drinks: British medical Journal. Vol 314, 8/02)

Alcohol reduces will power. Good intentions are harder to achieve after a few drinks. Young people may find themselves going further than they wanted to. Unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases can result from ‘unplanned’ sex.

Despite a voluntary advertising code, which says that alcoholic drinks should not appeal to young people or show success in relationships and sport, many drink adverts are popular with young people and children. It has been said that Alcopops are the latest marketing tool to increase drinking among young people.