Positive future
Positive Futures, a Home Office funded scheme, questioned 1,250 of their members aged between 10-19 years old. These young people were all involved in the group’s sports, arts and activity based programmes.
42% of young people questioned admitted to have started drinking when they were 13 or under, with over a quarter getting drunk just ‘for the sake of it’.
The way alcohol is consumed can sometimes be linked to the type of family life a young person has. Half of those surveyed said their families either condone or simply do not care if they drink.
Half of the youth surveyed also said that after drinking, they have been involved in fighting, violence and aggression.
Lesson for life
In August 2007, three drunken teenage boys viciously attacked a man as he went outside his house to speak to them about his wife’s car, which had been vandalised on four previous ocassions. The man, Garry Newlove, died in hospital two days later.
Last month, these three teens, aged between 16 and 19, were jailed for life after being found guilty of his murder. The verdict confirmed that they had been drinking.
Tougher policies
As a result of these reports on underage and binge drinking, and the case of Garry Newlove, the Government is rethinking its policies concerning alcohol.
The Home Office are pushing for the police to be given tougher powers to confiscate alcohol from underage youths, caught drinking on the streets.
Parents also could soon be fined if they let their children drink on the streets. How do you feel about this, do you think this is necessary?
What should be done?
The people who were surveyed by Positive Futures were also asked what they felt would most reduce alcohol related crime and disorder.
Nearly half of those surveyed said that more sport and leisure facilities and activities would have the biggest effect in reducing anti social behaviour.
Health information on sensible drinking for those wanting to drink less, were the next popular preventative measure.
About a third of youths surveyed also felt that stopping underage alcohol sales in shops could reduce anti social behaviour.
Just a drink
Alcohol can be deceptive. It might seem like it makes you feel confident but when you’re drunk you can lose your inhibitions and do things you’ll regret later. Is it really worth waking up the next morning and thinking - ‘what have I done?’
Drinking alcohol, even occasionally, could even affect your future. The BBC spoke to Paris Hayes, 17, who started drinking when she was 14, “I regret some of it now like my school... I could have done a lot better”
Alcohol can also ruin your looks. Researchers have found that those who drink alcohol especially alcopops and cider, tend to have worse teeth than those who don’t. The alcohol contributes to dental erosion which ruins your pearly whites.
Drinking too much can even cause you to gain weight, give you really bad breath and bad skin.
