Government targets youth drinking

The Government is to draw up a youth alcohol action plan by Spring 2008 in order to tackle the problems relating to binge drinking.This forms one element of a wider package of measures to tackle risky adolescent behaviour as part of the new ‘Children’s Plan’, launched by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, headed by Secretary of State Ed Balls.

The Children Plan is described as a long term vision to improve schools and a step-change in the way parents and families are supported to deal with the new challenges faced by young people in the 21st century.

On risky behaviour, the Government says that early teenage years and adolescence can expose young people to risks and where they fail to make informed or sensible choices, they can put their health and future at risk. To tackle this issue:

• a youth alcohol action plan will be published in the Spring 2008, around the same time as the new drugs strategy which will improve alcohol education in schools and consider the case for further action on alcohol advertising;

• there will be a review of best practice in effective sex and relationship education and how it is delivered in schools;

• working with the Home Office, £66m will be available to target those young people most at risk of offending;

• a restorative approach to youth offenders will be piloted;

• a Green Paper will be published in Spring 2008 to look at what happens when young offenders leave custody on how to improve the education they receive in custody.

Issues of teenage drinking
In preparing its youth alcohol plan, the Government has identified two particular issues as requiring investigation,what is ‘safe’or ‘sensible drinking’ in adolescents, and the influence of alcohol advertising.

The fact that significant numbers of even young teenagers are now drinking substantial amounts of alcohol on a regular basis is not surprisingly, causing some unease to public health practitioners and policymakers, given that the existing guidance on ‘sensible drinking’ was derived from evidence pertaining only to adults, and it is not known whether or to what degree it is applicable to younger populations.

In response, the Department for Children, Schools and Families has convened a panel of experts, on which the Institute of Alcohol Studies is represented, to review the latest scientific evidence on the effects of alcohol on young people’s physical and emotional health, cognitive development and brain function. This review will then form the basis for the Government’s publication of authoritative, accessible guidance about what is and what is not ‘safe and sensible’.

Commercialisation of childhood
The issue of advertising was repeatedly raised by parents during consultations on the Children’s Plan. Concern was expressed at what is perceived to be the increasing commercialization of childhood. In response, the Government is to commission research on commercialization and a Ministerial Group will examine alcohol advertising specifically.

A National Consumer Council study found a growing range of internet pop-ups and advertisements aimed at children. It estimates that young people see about 27 TV advertisements a day, adding up to 10,000 a year.

On commercialization, Mr Balls said: “Families today worry about this more because there are more (TV) channels, more advertising and children are exposed to it more than was the case 20 or 30 years ago."

In what was taken to be a hint at additional Government-imposed regulation, Mr Balls said a study by Alcohol Concern revealed a spike in television drinks advertisements between 4pm and 6pm, when many children watch. There was a concern that alcohol advertising could be contributing to the binge drinking problems affecting teenagers and young people.