UPDATED: Teenage booze survey reveals 'worrying trend' of sex and binge drinking in the region (From Wirral Globe)

UPDATED: Teenage booze survey reveals 'worrying trend' of sex and binge drinking in the region

9:00pm Wednesday 1st July 2009

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MORE than one in four of teenagers in the region regularly indulge in binge-drinking, a new survey reveals.

The probe shows the number of teenagers who report that they regularly drink alcohol has fallen - but experts warn of "worrying trends" among teenage tipplers.

'The amount that some of them are drinking is worrying.'

Phil Woolas MP, regional minister for the North West

Hundreds of young adults also "expressed regret" at having had sex while they were drunk.

The survey showed that TV-advertised products like Strongbow and Magners cider, Smirnoff Ice and WKD are the favoured drinks for children.

Trading Standards North West will now be writing to the firms behind those drinks seeking their clarification of plans for action to reduce their appeal to young people.

The survey of 13,000 young people, aged 14 to 17 – carried out by local authority trading standards services - showed the number of teenagers drinking alcohol at least once a week has dropped from 50% in 2005 to 38% in 2009.

In Wirral, this survey showed that the percentage of teenagers who buy alcohol themselves in the borough fell to 21%, down from 31% in 2007 which was the last time the survey was carried out.

However, the survey, published at the Trading Standards Institute’s (TSI) annual conference in Brighton, revealed some alarming habits, with one in four of those who do drink consuming more than 20 units a week.

Other worrying trends highlighted include:

1 in 4 of teenagers surveyed regularly binge drink (consuming five drinks at least once a week)

1 in 20 typically drink alone

1 in 6 regretted having sex after drinking

1 in 2 teenagers drink to get drunk

Cllr Gill Gardner, Wirral's cabinet member for environment said: "I am pleased to see that the council's actions are leading to a reduction in the ease with which young people can buy alcohol.

"Our trading standards team can provide advice and training to off licence staff to help them reduce their risk of selling alcohol to an under 18 and also take enforcement action in the courts or seek the suspension of a licence for those who break the law.”

She added: "Our ability to tackle under age sales has been greatly supported by funds from Wirral NHS. It is important, however, that operations aimed at off licences continue, as a priority, to further the decline of the availability of alcohol to young people.”

Richard Lindley, chairman of the trading standards North West underage sales strategy group, said: “The figures appear to substantiate that the underage sales operations by trading standards at retail premises are working.

"There has been a significant drop since 2007 of young people purchasing alcohol from shops and off-licences.

"It is important, however, that operations aimed at off-licences and newsagents continue, as a priority, to further the decline of the availability of alcohol to young people”

The survey also showed the use of fake ID from the internet has dropped – from 42% in 2007 to 32% in 2009 – but children report that they are now more likely to just use an older sibling’s ID (up from 16% to 25%).

Trading standards says this highlights the need for shops to be vigilant in ID checks, especially as more than half of children reported that they have never been asked for ID.

Responses from the young people who took part highlighted that Magners and Strongbow cider have increased significantly in popularity among teenagers – but Smirnoff Ice and WKD remain their favourite drinks.

Mr Lindley added: “It is worrying that the same products are highlighted year after year as being popular among young people.

"While we can take enforcement action against the sellers, the firms behind the products have to think more carefully about their marketing strategies.”

Phil Woolas MP, regional minister for the North West, said: "Although the number of our teenagers regularly drinking alcohol has fallen since the last survey was carried out, the amount that some of them are drinking is worrying.

"The government's Youth Action Plan set out a range of commitments including stronger powers to tackle unsupervised drinking in public places and also stressed the important role that the alcohol industry has to play in refusing to sell it to under 18s and marketing their products responsibly."

Garry Shewan, Assistant Chief Constable with Greater Manchester Police, who speaks on behalf of North West police forces said: "While the fall in the number of young people drinking alcohol shows that we are taking the right actions we cannot be complacent.

"More and more young people are accessing alcohol from their homes and from older friends. We must do more to protect young people and to intervene whenever we see young people misusing alcohol, otherwise they will run a high risk of becoming involved in violence and crime."

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