Safe. Sensible. Social.

What the alcohol strategy says to us.

Context – the legacy of the last strategy

Blueprint research programme Research to review the evidence base

for the effectiveness of interventions on alcohol prevention.

Point of sale interventions.

New strategy - broadly

Using the current law and regulation effectively

Focus on problem drinkers• Including under 18s, 18-24 year old bingers

and harmful drinkers

Actively promote sensible drinking

Current drinking

Since 2001, the number of young people aged 11–15 who drink alcohol appears to have reduced. However, overall those who do consume alcohol are drinking more and more often, with higher levels of alcohol consumption being associated with a range of high-risk behaviours including unprotected sex and offending.

Young People’s Drinking

A key factor with regard to consumption is age, and the key turning point in preventing harm seems to be at age 13, by which time the proportion of young people who will have drunk alcohol at some point in their lives exceeds those who have not. Frequent alcohol use also increases with age. In 2006, 41% of 15-year-olds drank alcohol in the last week, compared with 16% of 13-year-olds, 8% of 12-year-olds and 3% of 11-year-olds.

European picture

The UK now has among the highest incidences of youth drunkenness. Among 35 European countries, the UK has the third highest proportion of 15-year-olds (24%) who have been drunk 10 times or more over the past year, based on self-reported data.

Parenting

We do know that parents and peers are both important influences on young people’s drinking, good and bad, and these influences are thought to be interlinked. It has been suggested that good parenting can equip young people with social skills that make them less susceptible to any peer influences to consume alcohol.

Consequences of drinking for young people

Among 10–15-year-olds, being drunk once a month or more in the last 12 months increases the likelihood of offending.

Among 14–15-year-olds, those who have drunk in the last month are more likely to engage in sexual activity.

Alcohol consumption can have adverse effects on school performance, with drinking being seen to be both a result and a cause of school failure, truancy and exclusion.

Consequences Deaths from liver cirrhosis have risen in the 25–34 age

group, and this is thought to be a consequence of increased drinking starting at an earlier age.

People who go on to become dependent on alcohol in later life often start drinking before the age of 14. Risk factors for youth alcohol consumption mirror those of other risky behaviours such as:• early involvement in problem behaviour;

• parental alcohol misuse; and

• harsh and inconsistent parental supervision.

What’s working

Better education and communication• ‘Know Your Limits’ campaign

• Evaluation of the campaign demonstrated that it was highly effective in raising awareness and had a high level of recall among young people.

Combating alcohol-related crime and disorder• increased penalties for selling alcohol to children

Alcohol misuse by parents

Half of relationship breakdowns and one-third of all domestic violence are alcohol related. The children of alcohol misusers are more likely to drink earlier and to experience behavioural problems and poor outcomes at school.Both adult and children’s services need to work in close partnership to ensure that the best possible service is delivered to families with children.The Social Exclusion Task Force in the Cabinet Office is leading a cross-government review of policy on families at risk which includes parental alcohol misuse as a key driver of poor family outcomes.

Outcomes

A reduction in the number of under-18s who drink and in the amount of alcohol they consume.

Actions

There will be concerted local action to enforce the law on drink driving and on sales of alcohol to underage people.

The Government will continue to prioritise reductions in the test-purchase failure rate for underage sales of alcohol. This will mean ensuring that enforcement agencies are making use of good practice and applying tactics and powers effectively.

What the government want to achieve

In order to support young people’s health and well-being and to minimise the risks associated with alcohol use, we want to: • delay the onset of regular drinking, primarily by

changing the attitudes of 11–15-year-olds and their parents about alcohol;

• reduce harm to young people who have already started drinking; and

• create a culture in which young people feel that they can have fun without needing to drink.

How to achieve those aims

We will do this by developing a consistent, age-based information for young people and parents on the effects of alcohol on young people’s social, emotional and physical health, and cognitive function, and how best to prevent harm to young people associated with alcohol consumption. We believe this information and guidance will help young people and parents make informed decisions about when and how much they drink.

Actions

To help young people and their parents make informed decisions about drinking, the Government will provide authoritative, accessible guidance about what is and what is not safe and sensible in the light of the latest available evidence from the UK and abroad.

Actions

The Government will convene a panel of paediatricians, psychologists and epidemiologists to compile and discuss the latest evidence on the effects of alcohol on young people’s physical and emotional health, cognitive development and brain function.

Actions

The Government will raise awareness of the issues and will – through a social marketing campaign – work to create a culture where it is socially acceptable for young people to choose not to drink and, if they do start drinking, do so later and more safely.

What to make of the Strategy?

Very few of the young people specifics from last time have been delivered.

The new strategy is very broad. There isn’t