Parents told: Don't give under-15s any alcohol

Published on Thursday 29 January 2009 21:01

CHILDREN younger than 15 should not be given any alcohol, even under parental supervision, the UK government's chief medical officer said yesterday.

New guidance, from Sir Liam Donaldson, said an alcohol-free childhood was "the safest option" following growing evidence of damaging effects on the developing brain and other health problems.

The advice was welcomed by many campaigners, but others said responsible drinking in a family setting could help children develop a sensible attitude to alcohol.

The Scottish Government said it would soon unveil its own framework for tackling the nation's damaging relationship with alcohol. It is currently legal for a child over five to be given alcohol to drink in the home.

Sir Liam said the aim of the guidance was to tackle mixed messages given to parents about childhood drinking. It is not expected to become law. As well as not giving alcohol to under-15s, Sir Liam said for 15 to 17-year-olds, any drinking should be with the guidance of a parent or carer or in a supervised environment. If these youngsters did drink, it should be infrequent and no more than on one day a week, the guidance said.

Sir Liam said the brains of children under 15 were still developing and drinking alcohol could do serious damage.

"This guidance aims to support parents, give them the confidence to set boundaries and help them engage with young people about drinking and risks associated with it," he said.

"More than 10,000 children end up in hospital every year due to drinking and research tells us that 15 per cent of young people think it is normal to get drunk at least once a week.

"They are putting themselves at risk of harm to the liver, depression and damage to the developing brain."

But a spokesman for the TaxPayers' Alliance said the government was interfering in the way parents raised their children. "Years of repeated government meddling and intervention in how parents bring up their children has completely failed to improve the national alcohol problem," he said.

Government figures show that by the time they are 15, most young people in the UK have had a drink.

An estimated 630,000 children aged 11 to 17 in the UK drink more than once a week and about one in five 15-year-olds say they first got drunk when they were 13 or younger.

Evelyn Gillan, of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems, welcomed the advice, but said:

"The clear message should be that alcohol should be avoided in any child under the age of 18."

Child development expert Sue Palmer said alcohol misuse was a symptom of the strain children faced in today's world and the government's advice was "not a magic bullet to solve this problem".

ANALYSIS

SCIENTIFIC evidence on the impact of drinking on young people has mounted over the last decade.

A 92-page report published by England's Chief Medical Officer points to studies showing the effect of alcohol on the developing brain.

Studies examining young people with and without alcohol abuse show heavy use during adolescence is associated with "cognitive deficits" – problems with learning and memory.

Research has also found a link between poor academic performance and alcohol use.

Evidence indicates that adolescents who drink heavily experience negative effects on the liver, bones and growth. Other studies reveal that alcohol use among teenagers is linked to impulsiveness and aggression.

Children who suffer behavioural problems or who have a psychiatric diagnosis may be more likely to use alcohol and other substances.

Researchers have also found links between alcohol misuse and a tendency to take part in risky sexual behaviour, increasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections.

But some studies have suggested that drinking in a family context is protective against under-age drinking and problem drinking later on.

Introducing drink from a young age cuts bingeing

BINGE drinking and alcohol misuse are often seen as being particularly British problems.

Elsewhere in Europe, families approach the subject of alcohol in a very different way, letting youngsters drink it in small quantities from a relatively early age.

Mediterranean countries, such as Italy, France and Portugal, appear to have less of a problem with teenagers getting drunk regularly on the streets.

Many have put this down to the way in which they are introduced to alcohol by their parents.

In France in particular, many children have grown up with a small glass of wine with their meal, often heavily watered down.

The opinion is that, by not demonising alcohol and not holding it up as something secretive and forbidden, children grow up able to talk about it and are less attracted to drinking as a result.

Historically, this cultural phenomenon has been credited with keeping French teenagers sober, while in the UK their counterparts binge-drink on park benches.

However, this view is starting to change, with levels of binge drinking also growing among French youngsters.

The French government is now raising the purchase age for alcohol from 16 to 18.