Young People:

Update on Reducing Alcohol Harm

Matthew ScottSubstance Misuse Team Leader

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Reasons why young people drink

• It is socially acceptable & they believe that “everyone” drinks

• The most common motivation is to facilitate socialising with peers

• To have fun, to relax, and to feel more outgoing

Having “ever tried alcohol” rises with age, so that by

age 15, a significant majority (82%) will have

tried alcohol

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The pattern of young people’s drinking differs with

age• At 11 - majority do not drink

– those who do, tend to drink at home with parents• At 13 - just over half have tried a drink, while nearly 1/3

drink once a month or more– equal proportions of 13 year olds drink with parents and

friends• At 15 - most have tried alcohol, while 1/3 drink once a week

or more– majority usually drink with their friends– most common drinking location is still at home or

someone else’s home – but drinking in unsupervised outdoor locations, which is

closely linked with harms, peaks in this age group• 16-17 – half drink at least once a week

– the most popular drinking location is in pubs

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Immediate consequences• 1/3 of girls & 1/4 of boys say they are more likely to

regret having sex with someone when they have been drinking

• 18 children a day were admitted to hospital for alcohol related illness between 2002-06

• Young drinkers are more likely to suffer accidents, get involved in crime and behave anti-socially

• 40% of young people who drank had experienced alcohol-fuelled violence either as victims or perpetrators

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Longer term consequences

• Younger age of initiation is associated with:– greater number of years of ill health– poorer academic performance– stronger likelihood of progression into

problematic use• Deaths due to liver cirrhosis have been rising in

the 25-34 age range and this is thought to be a consequence of patterns of increased drinking starting at earlier ages

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What parents have told us…

• They do not want legislative change re: age restrictions

• They do think learning how to drink sensibly (“knowing your limits”) is an important part of growing up

• They do think some teenagers drink far too much

• They do think teenagers now drink more and more riskily than when they were young

• They do think that drinking in public places is a growing problem

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What Police & Communities have told us…

• Confiscation campaigns & test purchasing yield valuable evidence about where children get alcohol:– Providing evidence of retailers consistently failing to

comply with the law by selling alcohol to children– Over 1/3 of young people drinking on the street are

under 16 and cannot be dispersed under the “Directions to Leave” powers

• Perceptions of Anti-Social Behaviour are largely influenced by young people drinking in public places

• Drinking by young people causes fights, vandalism and makes people feel unsafe on the street

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Youth Alcohol Action Plan aims to achieve:

• A consensus around how young people are introduced to drinking, including age, parental supervision etc.

• Continue to reduce the numbers of young people who drink

• Reduce the level of alcohol consumption by those young people who do drink (NI 115)

• Reduce [the perception of] alcohol related anti-social behaviour by young people

• Set out an approach which distinguishes sharply between what is acceptable and what is not

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Through 4 main packages of proposals:

1. Supporting young people to make sensible decisions

2. Establishing a new partnership with parents 3. Taking action with industry 4. Tackling Young People Drinking in Public

Places

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How can local areas deliver this?

• Reducing Demand– Build on communications campaign (as with FRANK) for YP & parents– Encourage good alcohol education in colleges, schools & youth services– Ensure young people have access to Positive Activities in areas where,

and at times when, youth drinking is a problem (e.g. Town Centres on Friday & Saturday nights)

• Reducing Availability– Joint trading standards, children’s services, DAAT & police approach to

identifying problem sites/premises– Co-ordinate action & share information in a concerted local strategy– Adopt best practice models / work with industry – e.g. St. Neots,

Cambridgeshire Alcohol Programme• Reducing Harm to individuals and communities

– Police and children’s services working together to identify and support young people at risk, and to keep parents involved

– Targeted projects to provide support to those regularly drinking or at risk

– Ensure treatment is available for those with drink problems– Best use of enforcement options: new office, confiscation, dispersal,

parenting orders