Underage drinking on the rise
December 14, 2009
New statistics reveal that a shocking number of children in the U.K. are abusing alcohol. Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that the number of youngsters being put through the countries courts for alcohol related incidents was on the rise. In 2003 the number of under-eighteens dealt with by the authorities for drink related misdemeanors was 6,764. By 2007 this figure had risen to 8,686. Over the same period the number of 13 to 15-year-olds being issued with police warnings because of drink was up by 17.4 percent. Those in the same age group who appeared in court because of alcohol rose by nearly 20 percent.
Home affairs spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, Chris Huhne said that there was a lot of talk in parliament about the problems of alcohol consumption in the country but that very little was actually being done to remedy the situation. He went on to point out that a lack of action could mean that a generation of youngsters could grow up with serious alcohol issues as well as health problems. Mr. Huhne continued to point out that more education was needed for children about the dangers of drinking. He also said that to stop the figures getting considerably worse the government should do something about pricing alcohol to prevent youngsters using their pocket money to purchase it. He also suggested that the government do more to insure that those retailers caught selling alcohol to those not old enough to buy it should lose their licenses.
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