Young drinkers: 'Our boozing culture is rooted in teenage years'

Published on Tuesday 7 April 2009 09:39

IF Scotland's booze binge culture was contained within the adult population that would be bad enough. But as those charged with dealing with the problem delve ever deeper it is becoming clearer by the day that many of the problems are rooted in teenage, and even pre-teen, years.

For some time there has been growing evidence that many youngsters are not only tasting alcohol at an earlier age, but seriously abusing it. To back this up, figures obtained from ISD Scotland last year showed that a record one school pupil a week from the Lothians was admitted to hospital due to alcohol misuse. Of the 56 or so children treated, a worrying 60 per cent were admitted due to "acute intoxication".

It is not surprising in an era where not only is drink readily available but relatively inexpensive and the ability to buy dangerous quantities is well within the financial grasp of most youngsters.

Although many shops now widely promote a no sales policy to either under-21s, or in some case under-25s, this appears to have done little to halt the supply to those too young to buy. There are always irresponsible elders willing to make purchases on their behalf, earning themselves respect or street-cred in the process.

Sadly, too, there remains an element of uncaring shopkeepers still too willing to put profit ahead of social responsibility. It is not surprising that many continue to take risks when the punishments handed out for breaking the law remain little more than a slap on the wrist.

Test purchasing operations on stores suspected of selling to minors should have raised the stakes but even when caught most escape serious punishment.

A total of 2017 licensing law offences were recorded by police in 2006-7, according to Scottish Government figures. Of these, the number of persons with a charge proved was 212 and just one resulted in a sentence. Total numbers relating to sale of drink to under-18s was 801, with a mere 29 licences suspended.

This failure to deal with the problem is now beginning to surface in the NHS. Today the Evening News reveals that last year 95 children under the age of 18 are receiving counselling for alcohol and drug related problems. If their habits are not nipped in the bud they may become one of the 15 adults admitted to hospitals in the region each week for abusing drink.

Certainly, early intervention and education has a key role to play. But until such time as the licensing authorities bring similar sanctions as those imposed on drink-drivers – one strike and you lose your licence – against those who supply minors with drink, it is difficult to see how they will be persuaded to treat the law with the respect it deserves.