Alcohol Policy UK

Wales: highest levels of teenage drinking in Europe - reactions to new report

County MP Stephen Crabb has called on the Government and the drinks industry to "get a grip" as shocking new figures reveal that Wales has the highest levels of teenage drinking in Europe. Research carried out by the University of Edinburgh indicated that more than a quarter of 13-year-olds in Wales had been drunk at least twice. And the stats came as it was revealed that police and PCSOs in Broad Haven recently confiscated more than 150 bottles and cans of alcohol, plus litres and litres of spirits, cider and wine from under-age drinkers in a single night. A group of youngsters had gathered for what was believed to be a post exam party earlier this month.  Western Telegraph

According to Wales Online, the Western Mail has previously reported that one child under eight is being admitted to a Welsh hospital almost every month after drinking alcohol. And accident and emergency experts said they were seeing increasing numbers of pre-teens and young teenagers needing treatment for alcohol use and for injuries sustained while drunk. The University of Edinburgh findings confirm anecdotal evidence that some 12 and 13-year-olds are getting drunk up to twice a week on alcohol. Often it is stolen from their parents or bought by older teens.

Jenny Randerson, the Welsh Liberal Democrats’ health spokeswoman, who uncovered the hospital statistics, said:

This underlines the desperation of the situation and the need for a series of measures – not just educational – that need to be taken in order to deal with this problem. We need co-operation between the educational authorities, local authorities and the police. The Assembly Government must also take the lead in providing the strategies and resources which will make it work.

The findings of the study, compiled by the University of Edinburgh in partnership with the World Health Organisation, were based on interviews with 240,000 schoolchildren, aged 11, 13 and 15.

Read Inequalities in Young People's Health online.

Smoking ban one year one: more quitters; decreasing pub sales

The smoking ban in England, introduced a year ago, has dramatically increased the number of people giving up the habit, it is claimed. A survey suggests more than 400,000 people quit smoking as a result of the smoking ban. Researchers say this could potentially help save as many as 40,000 lives in the next 10 years. BBC News

More information from ASH.

Meanwhile, beer and spirit sales have been hit hard by the smoking ban, according to market analysts Nielsen. Around 175 million fewer pints have been drunk in the last year as a direct result of the ban according to the research. In the nine months from July to March volume sales of alcohol in the on-trade in England and Wales fell eight per cent – before the ban the rate was falling at three per cent.

With other factors such as the credit crunch also being taken into account Nielsen estimates that half of the eight per cent drop can be attributed to the ban. Jake Shepherd, marketing director at Nielsen, said: “The winter months were particularly bad – sales fell 9.3 per cent through November to January when smokers would have been reluctant to stand outside in the cold to have a cigarette.”  The Publican

New direction towards alcohol for Cumbria DAAT

A plan to tackle substance abuse in Cumbria is now focusing more clearly on alcohol, with police admitting drink is linked to a large amount of violent crime. The Cumbria Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) is placing a higher priority on problems with alcohol after previously concentrating on drugs.

Assistant Chief Constable Neil Rhodes spoke about the DAAT plan at a meeting of Cumbria Police Authority, the body overseeing the county’s police force. He said:

“Generally, it is becoming far more focussed on the perils of alcohol. In the past it has been focussed almost exclusively on drugs. There is a new direction.

We recognise that alcohol underpins a lot of the problems we have in relation to violent crime. Domestic abuse and violence always has strong themes of alcohol running through it. If we are going to address offenders by any other means than enforcement, we need partner agencies (to be involved). Treatment is something DAAT is very good at.”  News & Star

Cumbria DAAT's Pooled Treatment Budget allocation was £2.8M this year (all PTB allocations here) but - as is the case for all English DATs - it is all ring-fenced for primary drug users and not for alcohol treatment, so it will be interesting to see how the new plan is funded.