Teen binge laws
UNDER-AGE binge drinking should be tackled with a raft of wide-ranging measures, the government will be told by its health advisors.
The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) wants booze prices lifted so they are out of the reach of kids.
It will also urge ministers to endorse bans on ads suggesting drinking makes people more fun or attractive.
And it will urge GPs to be pro-active by discussing binge-drinking with youngsters during appointments, even those made for non-drinking matters.
Spokesman Don Shenker will detail NICE's findings at a Royal Society of Medicine conference this week - but the guidelines will not be published until March.
Mr Shenker, who also works for Alcohol Concern, said: "Cheap alcohol attracts young people.
"And the evidence shows that young people find alcohol advertising attractive.
"We need to un-glamourise advertising."
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This article has 8 comments
Why doesn't the government ban the sale of alcohol in all but pubs, this will help the pubs closing all over the country and there will be at least some control over the underage buying alcohol. The only drawback is the government will be losing tax revenue, they would rather push the price up then they can say they are doing something but raking in more tax. The price of alcohol WILL go up because this is the way of the labour government.
By Trevor . Posted September 8 2009 at 5:26 PM.
Raising prices will not do any good, they will get the money from Parents or social security.
Just make them pay for medical treatment and waste of police time. and remove licences from problem Bars and supermarkets, raising prices will hit the responsible drinker,not the binge drinkers. This si a problem since the times of Charles Dickens.
But why is it mainly the British that have the problem.
By Mike. Posted September 6 2009 at 6:34 PM.
Why not allow kids over 16 to drink in pubs instead of hanging around on street corners with their mates.
At least their drinking would be supervised and would cut down on some of the loutish behaviour that goes on outside shopping centres
By axel. Posted September 6 2009 at 2:12 PM.
I have seen the results of what excess drink does to children and adults alike, and the strain that puts on police and ambulance resources is enormous.
However, I really don't believe that rising the prices of alcohol is going be an effective deterrant, or banning the so called "alco pops".
What we need to do, is enforce existing laws better. Penalties need to be far tougher on retailers who do try and sidestep the law and sell to underage kids, but the fact is, most kids get adults to go in and buy alcohol for them, and the penalties should be just as tough on those.
Plenty of people do know how to enjoy alcohol responsibly and not to excess, and will go out, enjoy their evening out and not cause any trouble, or end up face down a pavement.
Underage drinking will not be beaten simply by raising the price of alcohol - as one post already pointed out, kids will just club together to buy alcohol (which they do already) or they'll just steal it.
It's time we stopped peanalising the hard working, responsible people of this country.
A better deterrant would be, if a parents child gets drunk through alcohol abuse, the ambulance services send the parents the bill.
The same should apply to adult drinkers who don't know their limits. They should get a bill as well.
Tougher fines. Bills for wasting ambulance services time. That's the only way forward.
But leave the responsible drinkers alone!
By Tspoon. Posted September 6 2009 at 11:36 AM.
Right.. and punish hard working people in the process?
What?
Who do think is paying for all the extra Police time, hospital nurses, doctors, road cleaning etc...etc.. that these louts cause?
YOU.
You and the rest of us are paying everytime.
Which would you rather have safe streets or an extra beer?
If you are hard working ask yourself why do the non-working youngsters get the cheap drinks?
If you are hard working you can afford the extra price and encourage youngsters to work for what they want.
I say raise prices and lets start to end this yob culture once and for all.
By Andy. Posted September 6 2009 at 9:58 AM.
the people who work at NICE are bloody stupid,
if they raise the price the kids will just put all there money together and still buy it so raising the price wont work.
By Rick. Posted September 6 2009 at 6:54 AM.
shut up. This is easy, ban all drinks that aren't proper drinks, so no more wkd, after shock etc etc. Beer, whiskey gin vodka and that is it. These children don't like the taste of real booze so therefore they drink sugary crap. Case solved.
By frank. Posted September 6 2009 at 3:54 AM.
Right.. and punish hard working people in the process? People who, even more in this economic climate, can just about afford a few beers at home. The answer is NOT to increase the prices but to increase the penalties on 1) the retailers who sell to underage 2) those who buy on their behalf. 3) Fine the underage drinkers... 2000 pounds will do and let it stay with them until they pay it in total, Maybe then they will learn!
By JOhn. Posted September 5 2009 at 11:20 PM.