Source: Sunday Times
Contact: editor@sundaytimes.co.uk

Children of 8 join alcohol casualty list
by Stephen McGinty

A RECORD number of underage drinkers, including some as young as eight, are
being admitted to hospital suffering from alcoholrelated illnesses.

A study by casualty staff at Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool, to
be published in the autumn, reveals that the number of children attending
the hospital with alcoholrelated problems has grown tenfold in the past
decade. In 1985 just 20 children were treated for alcoholrelated problems.
Last year the figure was 200.

Similar rises were reported by 20 large hospitals across the country, with
figures from 250 accident and emergency units suggesting an estimated
50,000 teenagers are now being admitted drunk to casualty departments each
year.

The report is backed by a survey by the Schools' Health Education Unit
based at Exeter University. It found that an estimated 84,000 children aged
between 12 and 15 in England and Wales regularly drink more than the
recommended maximum weekly level for adults of 21 units for women and 28
units for men. Two units of alcohol are equivalent to one pint of lager or
a large glass of wine.

Experts blame the rise on children maturing earlier and a lack of parental
control. Children identify the glamorisation of drink by pop stars and
advertisers as a contributing factor.

Simon, 13, came close to dying after drinking 15 measures of vodka. He had
begun an evening of illicit drinking in Hastings, East Sussex, at a
friend's house. He received superficial injuries in a drunken brawl, but
the amount of alcohol consumed left him with serious alcoholic poisoning.
His mother, Gail, 37, said: "Another drink could have killed him. I've
explained the dangers ­ I just pray this will teach him a lesson."

Other cases uncovered by The Sunday Times include:

* Phillip, 12, who had his stomach pumped at a Bristol hospital after
collapsing drunk at a youth club disco. He had drunk six alcopops and a
large bottle of cider, smuggled in by older boys.

* A nineyearold who was carried into Conquest hospital in Hastings by his
father after stealing six bottles of Becks beer from the family drinks
cabinet. When confronted, the boy tried to hit his father and slashed his
hand by breaking a mirror with his fist.

* Buying drink is not a problem for Tony, 14, and his friends waiting
outside an offlicence in Birmingham's city centre: "First you see if they
will sell it to you. If they don't, you pay off a tramp ­ they'll always
buy you drink."

* In the village of Congresbury, near Bristol, young teenagers buy homemade
cider through older friends.

Martin, 13, said: "We do it at weekends. You can't go home when you're out
of your head, so we get a tent and camp out somewhere. We tell our parents
we're staying at each others' houses."

Additional reporting: Simon Trump

Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers LimitedSunday Times
August 24 1997

Children of 8 join alcohol casualty list
by Stephen McGinty

A RECORD number of underage drinkers, including some as young as eight, are
being admitted to hospital suffering from alcoholrelated illnesses.

A study by casualty staff at Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool, to
be published in the autumn, reveals that the number of children attending
the hospital with alcoholrelated problems has grown tenfold in the past
decade. In 1985 just 20 children were treated for alcoholrelated problems.
Last year the figure was 200.

Similar rises were reported by 20 large hospitals across the country, with
figures from 250 accident and emergency units suggesting an estimated
50,000 teenagers are now being admitted drunk to casualty departments each
year.

The report is backed by a survey by the Schools' Health Education Unit
based at Exeter University. It found that an estimated 84,000 children aged
between 12 and 15 in England and Wales regularly drink more than the
recommended maximum weekly level for adults of 21 units for women and 28
units for men. Two units of alcohol are equivalent to one pint of lager or
a large glass of wine.

Experts blame the rise on children maturing earlier and a lack of parental
control. Children identify the glamorisation of drink by pop stars and
advertisers as a contributing factor.

Simon, 13, came close to dying after drinking 15 measures of vodka. He had
begun an evening of illicit drinking in Hastings, East Sussex, at a
friend's house. He received superficial injuries in a drunken brawl, but
the amount of alcohol consumed left him with serious alcoholic poisoning.
His mother, Gail, 37, said: "Another drink could have killed him. I've
explained the dangers ­ I just pray this will teach him a lesson."

Other cases uncovered by The Sunday Times include:

* Phillip, 12, who had his stomach pumped at a Bristol hospital after
collapsing drunk at a youth club disco. He had drunk six alcopops and a
large bottle of cider, smuggled in by older boys.

* A nineyearold who was carried into Conquest hospital in Hastings by his
father after stealing six bottles of Becks beer from the family drinks
cabinet. When confronted, the boy tried to hit his father and slashed his
hand by breaking a mirror with his fist.

* Buying drink is not a problem for Tony, 14, and his friends waiting
outside an offlicence in Birmingham's city centre: "First you see if they
will sell it to you. If they don't, you pay off a tramp ­ they'll always
buy you drink."

* In the village of Congresbury, near Bristol, young teenagers buy homemade
cider through older friends.

Martin, 13, said: "We do it at weekends. You can't go home when you're out
of your head, so we get a tent and camp out somewhere. We tell our parents
we're staying at each others' houses."

Additional reporting: Simon Trump

Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited