“Alcohol? What’s the Harm?”
Every parent and carer wants to do the right thing for their children. With the summer upon us, parents and carers are encouraged not to add alcohol to the mix to protect children from risk.
The law is clear that buying alcohol under 18 or selling it to children under 18 is illegal.
Supplying children with alcohol undermines important age of sale laws which protect both children and local communities.
Evidence is clear now that introducing children to alcohol – especially before 15 – can:
- Harm developing bodies and brains
- Worsen any feelings of low mood or depression
- Put their safety at risk
- Open the door to more regular teenage drinking and heavier drinking as adults
Chief Medical Officer Guidance is that no alcohol under 18 is the healthiest and safest option but if children do drink, it should not be before the age of 15. If children aged 15-17 do drink it should only be in a supervised environment, and no more than once a week.
Susan Taylor, Head of Alcohol Policy for Fresh and Balance, said: “Every parent and carer wants the best for their child. But alcohol use during teenage years can harm physical health and mental health.
“Alcohol promotion is all around us – but too many adults and children are ending up in hospital, in A&E or with real problems in their lives because of alcohol.
“Hospitals are now seeing people at a younger age with alcohol-related conditions such as liver disease. Alcohol intake can catch up with people much sooner than we sometimes think.
“The longer we can delay drinking alcohol in the lives of our children, the better. The younger they drink, the more likely they will develop a taste for it and encounter all the risks.”
Information for parents and a FREE guide about talking to children about alcohol is available at Whatstheharm.co.uk