Stands Scotland where it did?

There is an epidemic of under-age drinking in Scotland with children as young as thirteen admitting regular weekly alcohol consumption. As elsewhere in the United Kingdom drinking among girls is on the increase.

SALSUS (Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey National Report) has published in-depth 0research which indicates the seriousness of the problem north of the border.

The report shows that a fifth of 13 year olds and over twofifths (43 per cent) of 15 year olds had drunk alcohol in the week before the survey. Among the 15 year olds, girls were more likely than boys to report this: 46 per cent of girls compared with 40 per cent of boys.

Among 15 year olds who reported drinking in the week before the survey, the most common drinks were beer, lager or cider for boys and spirits or alcopops for girls Among 13 year olds who drank alcohol in the week before the survey, boys reported drinking alcopops and beer, lager or cider with almost equal frequency while girls were more likely to drink alcopops than any other type of drink. It is clear that alcopop drinks have established a niche in the very youthful market.

Among 15 year olds, the average number of units of alcohol consumed in the week before the survey was 13 for boys and 11 for girls, and among13 year olds, boys consumed an average of 10 units and girls consumed an average of 8 units.

Over half of 13 year olds and around three quarters (74 per cent) of 15 year olds who reported ever drinking alcohol, also said they had been drunk at least once. Among 15 year olds, girls were more likely to have been drunk than boys: over three quarters of girls reported being drunk at least once compared with 72 per cent of boys. However, among 13 year olds there was no gender difference in reported drunkenness. Compared with 2002, a lower proportion of 15 year old boys reported being drunk at least once: 76 per cent in 2002 compared with 72 per cent in 2004.However, there was no similar decrease among 15 year old girls or among 13 year olds. Annual fluctuations are to be expected and these levels remain very high.

Almost a third of 13 year olds and over half of 15 year olds who had drunk alcohol, said they had drunk five or more drinks on the same occasion at least once in the thirty days before the survey. Among 15 year olds, a higher proportion of girls reported having drunk five or more drinks on the same occasion in the last 30 days: 60 per cent of girls compared with 52 per cent of boys.

Among those pupils who said they had drunk alcohol, vomiting was the most commonly reported negative consequence of drinking experienced in the last year. This was reported by around a third of 13 year olds and just under half of 15 year olds. The next most commonly reported consequence of drinking, particularly among girls, was arguing. This was reported by 29 per cent of 13 year old girls and 47 per cent of 15 year old girls compared with 22 per cent of 13 year old boys and 32 per cent of 15 year old boys. Boys were more likely than girls to report that drinking had led to fighting in the last year: reported by 19 per cent of 13 year old boys and 20 per cent of 15 year old boys compared with 14 per cent of 13 year old girls and 17 per cent of 13 year old boys. About one in five pupils who had ever drunk alcohol reported that they had been in trouble with the police in the last year as a result, with just under one in ten having been taken home by the police. One in five 15 year olds and around one in ten 13 year olds said they had tried drugs in the last year as a result of drinking. Around 10 per cent of pupils reported staying off school during the last year as a result of drinking. Fewer pupils reported having had injuries (2 per cent in both age groups) or having been admitted to hospital (2 per cent of 13 year olds and 1 per cent of 15 year olds) because of drinking.

Over half of 13 year olds and over a third of 15 year olds who had ever had an alcoholic drink reported that they never buy alcohol. Among 15 year olds, shops and off-licences were the most commonly reported source of alcohol. Among 13 year olds, a friend or relative and ‘someone else’ were reported as frequently as shops. Around one in ten 15 year olds reported buying alcohol from licensed premises (10 per cent from pubs and 7 per cent from clubs/discos) compared with 1 per cent of 13 year olds. Eight percent (8 per cent) of 15 year olds and 3 per cent of 13 year olds had purchased alcohol from supermarkets. Since 2000, there has been an increase in the proportion of 15 year olds reporting that they bought alcohol in shops or supermarkets and a decline in the proportion of 15 year olds reporting that they bought alcohol in offlicences.

Among 13 year olds, the most commonly reported location for drinking was at home. This was reported by almost half of 13 year olds. Among 15 year olds, parties were a commonly reported drinking venue, particularly among girls: 44 per cent of girls and 37 per cent of boys reported that they drank alcohol at a party with friends. Just under a third of 13 year olds and just over a third of 15 year olds reported that they usually drank outdoors, in streets, parks and the like.

About a third of pupils who reported that they had ever drunk alcohol reported that they never drank with their parents. Pupils were more likely to report drinking with friends, particularly with friends of the same gender than with family: 39 per cent of 13 year olds and 61 per cent of 15 year olds often drank with friends of the same gender and 23 per cent of 13 year olds and 42 per cent of 15 year olds often drank with friends of the opposite gender.

Among pupils who reported drinking in the week before the survey, a third of 13 year olds and 19 per cent of 15 year olds reported that their families did not know that they drank alcohol. Fifty eight per cent of 15 year old boys,45 per cent of 15 year old girls, and 42 per cent of 13 year old boys, reported that their families did not mind if they drank alcohol. Over 80per cent of those who reported ever drinking alcohol agreed that they were always or sometimes allowed to drink at home.

Too much too young

Highlighting the SALSUS report, it has emerged that in Scotland four teenage drunks are being treated in casualty wards every day after drinking themselves into oblivion. Figures issued recently by the Scottish Executive show that 1122 under-age children were taken to hospital in 2004 after heavy drinking sessions. At the same time, 63 under-14s were treated for acute alcohol poisoning. Experts fear that it will get worse this year. Dr Laurence Gruer, of Health Scotland, said: “The number of admissions of teenagers because of alcohol has increased over the past 10 years, not just in cities but rural areas. Most have acute poisoning. There is not much you can do but let them dry out and make sure they are in no danger if they vomit.

“Education in school does not have much effect. It's best to be stricter in enforcing the refusal of sale of alcohol to young people. Children are also sensitive to the price of alcohol and increasing the price would affect adults too. “Unless the Government takes radical action, I can't see things improving.”

Staff on duty in accident and emergency units over Christmas and New Year said they were shocked by the number and ages of children who had joined the binge drinking cult.

Nanjappachetty Doraiswamy, an A&E consultant at the Sick Kids Hospital in Glasgow, said he had seen drunk children as young as ten. “When children see mum and dad drinking alcohol, it makes them think about doing it too. It is also down to peer pressure from their friends. Children need to be educated that if they continue drinking there could be liver problems. And adults must not tempt them by having lots of alcohol in the house.”

A senior nurse in Glasgow said: “In twenty years of working at the festive period, this was the worst I've seen for young kids being admitted with alcohol poisoning.” Sally Haw, an expert in substance abuse with Health Scotland, said it was too easy for children to get cheap booze. “The price of alcohol is about half of what it was in real terms in the 1980s. This increases consumption, particularly among the young. “The other thing that has happened is a difference in promotion of alcohol through adverts and marketing. Alcohol is being presented in a very positive light and as an exciting thing to do.”

A report last year found many children were drinking almost as much as the recommended adult limits.

A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said action was being taken to stop children binge drinking. “Binge drinking can have serious side-effects for all of us but particularly children.

“The Executive is running an advertising campaign aimed at younger people, to make them aware of the effects of alcohol misuse. Protection of young people from the harmful effects of alcohol is a key measure in the Licensing Bill, which is due to be introduced shortly.”

Alcohol Focus Scotland

The national charity for alcohol issues, Alcohol Focus Scotland, has published a manifesto setting out ten key measures essential for tackling the country’s problem:

10 proposals for change

Cheap drink promotions which encourage people to buy more alcohol than they intended must be stamped out in shops, off-licences and supermarkets. The relative cost of alcohol has fallen by around a third over the past 20 years. Most of this has been in the off-trade sector and many of the unacceptable promotions in the on-trade are driven by the need to compete with off-sales. Low baseline prices are compounded by the special promotions offering discount for bulk purchase such as 24 cans of beer for £10. Promotions and retail practices such as strategically positioning alcohol throughout stores needs to be tackled.

Stricter enforcement of the laws relating to alcohol sales. In Scotland there were only 44 prosecutions for underage sales in a whole year and not a single prosecution for selling alcohol to a drunk person in the last 3 years. These statistics certainly do not accurately reflect the scale of the problem. Licensees must be made to take their legal and social responsibilities seriously with appropriate penalties for those found to be putting profits first.

All pubs and clubs must offer cheaper soft drinks, free tap water and a wider range of good priced low alcohol drinks. In many bars it is cheaper to purchase a pint of lager than a coke so there is no incentive for people to go out and enjoy themselves without drinking alcohol.

The unit content should be printed on all alcoholic drink packaging and should be set in the context of daily benchmarks. There should also be unit information at the point of sale in both the on and off trade e.g. on beer pumps in bars and at till points in off-licences. Consumers are entitled to know how strong their drinks are.

Reduce drink-drive limit from 80mg to 50mg in line with other European countries. The Centre for Transport Studies at University College, London say lowering the limit would save 65 lives per year and prevent hundreds of injuries. The hard hitting drinkdriving message should be delivered all year round rather than for two weeks over the festive period. Drink-drive accidents and deaths don’t just occur at this time of year so why should the messages only be communicated then?

Hard hitting national TV campaign to get the message across to the public that excessive drinking is not acceptable and carries serious risk of harm. A sustained campaign is needed to challenge public attitudes of both young drinkers who go to pubs and clubs and also older home drinkers.

Ban on alcohol advertising for motor sports. Associating alcohol with driving is completely irresponsible and dangerous.

More funding and support for alcohol counselling services. Over 41,000 counselling sessions are delivered by 30 local alcohol counselling agencies every year in Scotland with around 70% having a successful outcome. The waiting list for these agencies is typically from 3 days to 3 months yet they are struggling to deliver their service on TOTAL funding of £4.5m.

Alcohol sponsorship must not target children, for example children’s football strips bearing the brands of alcoholic drinks are unacceptable.

More effective alcohol education, starting at primary school age. Children are more exposed to alcohol promotion than ever before which makes the need for balanced alcohol information all the more important. The media literacy approach to help children understand alcohol marketing is a particularly valuable tool which should be part of every schools based programme.

Scottish First Minister: by all means get drunk once in while

Just as it was revealed that record numbers of Scottish children, some as young as 10, have been rushed to hospital with alcohol poisoning, Jack McConnell, First Minister at Holyrood, told a group of school children it was all right to get drunk “once in a while”.The first minister's remark came during a question and answer session with more than 100 secondary pupils in the Highlands. Nicola Sturgeon of the SNP said it had been an “incredible gaffe”, given Scotland's problems with binge and under-age drinking. Alcohol Focus Scotland said any message that drunkenness was normal was “not helpful”. Mr McConnell's aides defended him by saying the comment was made in the context of discussing adult drinking, albeit in front of a room full of teenagers.

Jack Law, chief executive of Alcohol Focus, a charity promoting sensible drinking, said: “The message that going out to get drunk is perfectly normal, acceptable behaviour is not helpful when Scotland faces a growing NHS, social work and criminal justice bill caused by our binge drinking culture. We must dispel the myth in this country that the only way to have a good time is to get drunk.”

Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader in the Scottish Parliament, said that under-age drinking was an issue in Scotland, and “it is quite staggering that any politician, particularly the first minister, should encourage young people to get drunk”.

The Scottish Licensed Trade Association, which is fighting Mr McConnell's plans to ban smoking in pubs, said the remarks had been outrageous. A spokesman said: “Doesn't the first minister know it is illegal for publicans to sell alcohol to people under 18 and also illegal to allow anyone to become drunk and incapable on the premises?”