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| Call to stop children's drinking | Call to stop children's drinking |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Parents who give alcohol to children aged under 15 should be prosecuted, a charity has said. | Parents who give alcohol to children aged under 15 should be prosecuted, a charity has said. |
| The call comes in an Alcohol Concern report on the government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy. | The call comes in an Alcohol Concern report on the government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy. |
| The study highlights figures that suggest a large increase in the amount of alcohol drunk by 11 to 13-year-olds. | The study highlights figures that suggest a large increase in the amount of alcohol drunk by 11 to 13-year-olds. |
| Alcohol Concern also wants a 16% rise in alcohol taxes, a ban on brewers selling to retailers at a loss, and a crackdown on under-age alcohol sales. | Alcohol Concern also wants a 16% rise in alcohol taxes, a ban on brewers selling to retailers at a loss, and a crackdown on under-age alcohol sales. |
| 'Stronger message' | 'Stronger message' |
| The charity would include meal times at home in the ban on giving alcohol to young people. | The charity would include meal times at home in the ban on giving alcohol to young people. |
| Frank Soodeen, a campaigns officer for Alcohol Concern, said: "We are facing a new social reality where children seem to be adopting older behaviour at a younger age. | Frank Soodeen, a campaigns officer for Alcohol Concern, said: "We are facing a new social reality where children seem to be adopting older behaviour at a younger age. |
| Our report shows that we are simply not doing enough to protect our children from alcohol Srabani SenAlcohol Concern | Our report shows that we are simply not doing enough to protect our children from alcohol Srabani SenAlcohol Concern |
| "One of the things we need to do is get parents on board." | "One of the things we need to do is get parents on board." |
| He also suggested there was a need to consider new legislation regarding the issue. | He also suggested there was a need to consider new legislation regarding the issue. |
| The charity would like to see a ban on alcohol advertising before the 9pm television watershed and non-18 certificate films in cinemas. | The charity would like to see a ban on alcohol advertising before the 9pm television watershed and non-18 certificate films in cinemas. |
| The National Curriculum should include alcohol education to teach about the dangers of binge drinking, it added. | The National Curriculum should include alcohol education to teach about the dangers of binge drinking, it added. |
| Alcohol Concern said the drink-drive limit should be lowered from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml of blood. | Alcohol Concern said the drink-drive limit should be lowered from 80mg to 50mg per 100ml of blood. |
| 'Serious consequences' | 'Serious consequences' |
| The figures, published by the NHS's information centre last November, showed boys aged 11 to 13 drank an average of 12 units of alcohol a week in 2006 compared to eight in 2000. The figure for girls increased from five units to eight. | The figures, published by the NHS's information centre last November, showed boys aged 11 to 13 drank an average of 12 units of alcohol a week in 2006 compared to eight in 2000. The figure for girls increased from five units to eight. |
| Alcohol Concern chief executive Srabani Sen said: "Our report shows that we are simply not doing enough to protect our children from alcohol. | Alcohol Concern chief executive Srabani Sen said: "Our report shows that we are simply not doing enough to protect our children from alcohol. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY It's better is to introduce alcohol at a young age, remove its mystery Hannah, Market Harborough Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY It's better is to introduce alcohol at a young age, remove its mystery Hannah, Market Harborough Send us your comments |
| "Binge drinking by children can have serious consequences for brain function, significantly raises the risk of alcohol dependency in later life and diminishes their life chances." | "Binge drinking by children can have serious consequences for brain function, significantly raises the risk of alcohol dependency in later life and diminishes their life chances." |
| The charity's Glass Half Empty report looked at the government's strategy which was published three years ago. | The charity's Glass Half Empty report looked at the government's strategy which was published three years ago. |
| 'Sensible message' | |
| Public health minister Caroline Flint told the BBC she did not agree with the proposals. | |
| "I don't think passing a law to ban alcohol for those under 15 would be enforceable or necessarily effective. | |
| "But certainly one of the things that we do need to think about is how we all, as parents with families, do what we can do to have a sensible drinking message within our own homes." | |
| She also said the government was serious about tackling alcohol-related harm and that levels of binge drinking were no longer rising. | |
| "Recent figures showed there has been a 5% drop between 2001 and 2006, of young people aged between 11 and 15 who had drunk alcohol in the previous week. | "Recent figures showed there has been a 5% drop between 2001 and 2006, of young people aged between 11 and 15 who had drunk alcohol in the previous week. |
| "The new alcohol strategy to be published this summer will continue to drive reductions in alcohol related offending and harmful behaviour through a combination of education, treatment and tough penalties." | "The new alcohol strategy to be published this summer will continue to drive reductions in alcohol related offending and harmful behaviour through a combination of education, treatment and tough penalties." |
| Meanwhile, the BBC's Helen Neil said there were calls for alcohol education to be included in the national curriculum in order to raise awareness about the dangers posed by drinking. | Meanwhile, the BBC's Helen Neil said there were calls for alcohol education to be included in the national curriculum in order to raise awareness about the dangers posed by drinking. |
| She said tighter control on drinks advertising have also been suggested by campaigners. | She said tighter control on drinks advertising have also been suggested by campaigners. |