|
Research reveals worrying
trends in underage drinking in Northern Ireland
A new report analysing the drinking behaviour of young people
between the ages of 11 and 16 in Northern Ireland has revealed
worrying trends. Drinking behaviour among young people
in Northern Ireland - secondary analysis of alcohol data
from
1997 to 2003, shows that young people here start drinking
as young as 11 and that many young people are drinking to
dangerous levels.
The results from the report, produced by the Health Promotion
Agency (HPA) in association with the Irish Temperance League
(ITL), will be revealed at a seminar held at the Ramada Hotel,
Belfast on Wednesday 19 October 2005.
Victoria Creasy,
Senior Manager for Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking at the HPA
said: “These figures are of real concern
because young people are more vulnerable than adults to suffering
physical, emotional and social harm from their own and other
people’s drinking. There are strong links between high
risk drinking and unsafe sexual behaviour, unintended pregnancy,
traffic and other accidents, failure at school and mental
health problems.
“Responsibility for reducing underage drinking lies
with parents, schools, the Government, the drinks industry
and our communities and requires a ‘joined-up’ approach.
Family relationships in particular cannot be underestimated
as a key factor in young
people’s drinking behaviour and parents need to take
responsibility for communicating with their children and
setting an example. The Government is due to consult shortly
on its recent Liquor Licensing Review and this is a prime
opportunity to look at how imposing conditions on licenses
and enforcing those conditions, could contribute to reducing
underage alcohol sales.”
Jim Currie, Chairman
of the ITL said: “The ITL has
a long history in Northern Ireland of campaigning about and
combating alcohol and drug abuse. We welcome this opportunity
to collaborate with the HPA in researching the drinking behaviour
of young people in Northern Ireland and we are happy to be
involved in the launch of this research.
“The report
provides important information about the use of alcohol
among teenagers which we hope will assist
those directly involved in working with young people.”
Summary of key findings:
-
Experimentation starts early - the average age for the first
drink is around 11 years old.
-
Traditionally
boys were more likely than girls to experiment with
alcohol and to get drunk but gender differences are
now disappearing – 59% of boys had tried a drink
compared with 58% of girls in 2003.
-
Some 24% of young people in the 2003 survey were classed
as regular drinkers (drinking at least once a month) indicating
drinking had become part of their lifestyle.
-
The
majority of young people in the 2000 survey got their
first alcoholic
drink from friends (45%) or parents (20%),
indicating both peer and parental influence on young
people’s
initial experiences of drinking.
-
It is possible for young people in Northern Ireland to purchase
alcohol illegally. In 2003 nearly a third (32%) of young
people had purchased alcohol themselves at some time.
-
Increasing
numbers of young people say they drink “to
escape problems” (25% in 1997, rising to 42% in 2003)
and “to be confident” (25% in 1997, rising
to 37% in 2003).
-
Almost two thirds of regular drinkers (65%) and 81% of those
who have been drunk four times say that they drink to get
drunk.
-
There is a trend towards more risky patterns of drinking
among young people over the last 10 years.
-
The relationship between drinking behaviour and other risk
behaviours, such as smoking experimentation, drug and solvent
experimentation and sexual behaviour, is strongly significant.
END
For further information contact
Rosie
McGaughey at the HPA-Tel: 9031 1611
The
report is available to download from the HPA website: www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/Resources/alcohol/temperancereport.htm
|
