Under Age Drinking

[j_1971son]

I think it is about time that people in the community started to take this seriously, far too often people under the age are getting served alcohol. This is not just happening in off-licenses but on licensed premises. What really annoys me is that in a small community like ours we pretty much know who is and who is not old enough, but because we know them then people turn a blind eye. If we are to rid the streets of kids drinking under the age getting drunk and causing trouble then we must start stamping down now. If we leave it much longer the kids of today are going to grow up not having any responsibilities, and in turn the kids that they have will slip into the same problem. I have been accused of getting someone who was under age thrown out of a licensed premises, what makes me laugh is that i didn't even see this person on the night, however i am inclined to point out next time to say something if i see them again. it is our responsibilty as parents to stop this, i cannot see the police getting invovled too much as the presence of police during weekend nights is not very high now that the festive season is over. I know that resources are tight and that it is up to us to stamp this out.

[dozerboy]

I think it is about time that people in the community started to take this seriously, far too often people under the age are getting served alcohol. This is not just happening in off-licenses but on licensed premises. What really annoys me is that in a small community like ours we pretty much know who is and who is not old enough, but because we know them then people turn a blind eye. If we are to rid the streets of kids drinking under the age getting drunk and causing trouble then we must start stamping down now. If we leave it much longer the kids of today are going to grow up not having any responsibilities, and in turn the kids that they have will slip into the same problem. I have been accused of getting someone who was under age thrown out of a licensed premises, what makes me laugh is that i didn't even see this person on the night, however i am inclined to point out next time to say something if i see them again. it is our responsibilty as parents to stop this, i cannot see the police getting invovled too much as the presence of police during weekend nights is not very high now that the festive season is over. I know that resources are tight and that it is up to us to stamp this out.

Did you never obtain or try to obtain some alcohol when under age? Most of us did at one time or other - that's what makes it fun, the exitement of doing something that you know is illegal!! Once you turn 18, it loses a certain something!! mind you, in my day, we never caused any problems or started any trouble. We used to try and keep a low profile in order to avoid attracting attention to the fact we may have had a bevvy or 6!!

[Fluff]

just because it seems fun and dangerous it does not make it right! the laws are there for a reason and most people at that age cannot understand that and that is why we are supposed to have responsible adults.

children/teens rely on the adults around them to let them know what is right and what is wrong. what message is being sent out if people allow them to break laws with no consequence?

[dozerboy]

just because it seems fun and dangerous it does not make it right! the laws are there for a reason and most people at that age cannot understand that and that is why we are supposed to have responsible adults.

children/teens rely on the adults around them to let them know what is right and what is wrong. what message is being sent out if people allow them to break laws with no consequence?

I never said it was right - I dare say my parents would have been none too pleased either!!

But, 1) you can't Police what your kids do 24/7 like it or not, 2) if you give them no trust, they will act as if they have no trust, 3) not all parents care to give there kids a good example anyway, 4) there are many parents who, when the kids are out, couldn't even tell you roughly where they are - so how are they going to know what they are doing?

It can be a problem, yes - but other countries in the EU have cheaper drink than in the UK and less problems - what does that tell you?

I believe children should be taught (and shown) responsible drinking in the home from early teens - that way it's nothing new when they go out and try to buy some.

And, yes, I have kids of the age where this is about to be a potential problem - and yes I will worry about it, but we can't keep them locked in the house forever! Even if you made the legal age for obtaining drink 21, they would still find ways to get it under age.

[Angela]

I
It can be a problem, yes - but other countries in the EU have cheaper drink than in the UK and less problems - what does that tell you?



I think it may tell us something about the "drinking culture" in the UK :(

[dozerboy]

I think it may tell us something about the "drinking culture" in the UK :(

Exactly - the youth of today, when they get hold of alcohol they just can't stop themselves going OTT every time.

Too many Rab C Nesbitt's going about.

[Fluff]

"I believe children should be taught (and shown) responsible drinking in the home from early teens - that way it's nothing new when they go out and try to buy some."

I agree 100% with you there.
we have a dodgy attitude in this country.
i dont drink much myself so i dont really understand it, but of what i can gather it seems to be, drink as much as you can in as little time as you can.
people dont want to enjoy a social gathering with a drink to relax, they seem to want to get 'paraletic'.
a change in attitude will not happen overnight, it will take time, but something needs to be done

[dozerboy]

"I believe children should be taught (and shown) responsible drinking in the home from early teens - that way it's nothing new when they go out and try to buy some."

I agree 100% with you there.
we have a dodgy attitude in this country.
i dont drink much myself so i dont really understand it, but of what i can gather it seems to be, drink as much as you can in as little time as you can.
people dont want to enjoy a social gathering with a drink to relax, they seem to want to get 'paraletic'.
a change in attitude will not happen overnight, it will take time, but something needs to be done

Exactiment!! Voila. (poor French)

[Angela]

"I believe children should be taught (and shown) responsible drinking in the home from early teens - that way it's nothing new when they go out and try to buy some."

I agree 100% with you there.
we have a dodgy attitude in this country.
i dont drink much myself so i dont really understand it, but of what i can gather it seems to be, drink as much as you can in as little time as you can.
people dont want to enjoy a social gathering with a drink to relax, they seem to want to get 'paraletic'.
a change in attitude will not happen overnight, it will take time, but something needs to be done

One of my daughters recently spent two summer seasons working on a small, relatively quiet, Greek island. The locals drank very little, always with "meze" -a small snack. Or with a meal.

Unlike the Scottish and English tourists...:roll:

The Greeks found it hard to understand why, given the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful island with sun, sea, boat trips, walks, outdoor concerts, good food ....people apparently still needed to get legless to have a good time. :confused

This didn't seem to be the case with the French, Spanish, Italian, German, Scandinavian, American or Canadian tourists....need I go on?

[j_1971son]

I'm not saying that i did not drink under age, because i did, but what is the point of my arguement is that no one seems to care if todays kids go out and get drunk, that is untill windows get broke or they get abused. I was fortunate enough to be able to go to a freinds house and get drunk at weekends. Yes we did go overboard a few times and we were told not to abuse our situation. Why do we let kids buy alcohol on licensed premises when we know they are under age. I also say that the price of beer at the super markets is far too cheap.

[darkman]

Hardly a new phenomenom as it's been going on for generations and most of these kids will grow up to lead resposible and productive lives the same as those 30, 40 somethings do now.
It's always the same, adults pretend the current crop of youngsters are the spawn of satan or something even though they probably did the same thing themselves at their age.
Stop complaining, aportioning blame, get off your butt and do something to help the problem.
Like the usergroup thread, you're all willing to complain but not willing to be part of the solution, if there is one, which I doubt.

[Angela]

[quote=darkman;193836]Hardly a new phenomenom as it's been going on for generations and most of these kids will grow up to lead resposible and productive lives the same as those 30, 40 somethings do now.
quote]

Maybe they will...but spend a weekend night in A&E or speak to the doctors dealing with the increasing number of quite young people with serious liver disease...and you may find that some of these kids won't make it to their 40s :(

[j_1971son]

part of problem is that we simply refuse as parents to stop our kids from drinking under age, we as parents must enforce this as the only other way of dealing with this is for every one to have a national identity card, the availability of alcohol like every thing else is becoming more and more available and cheaper. It is todays culture that everyone wants everything now and cannot wait, true this subject was around when i was a kid but at somepoint we have to stop and say this is no good. In the same way that smoking became trendy in the 60's and 70's, alcohol is now trendy. Why do we have to wait 30 years before everyone realises that we could of stopped this problem many years ago.

[cuddlepop]

Drink is the new fashion accessory for the young of today.Its the case of, mobile..check
money..check
ipod...check
ciggies..check
booze...check
and then out the door to get so plastered they can hardly walk.There isn't a weekend goes past when some underager isn't admitted to hospital.
Alcohol destroys lifes and not just the person.s whose drinking it.:mad:

[squidge]

part of problem is that we simply refuse as parents to stop our kids from drinking under age, we as parents must enforce this as the only other way of dealing with this is for every one to have a national identity card, the availability of alcohol like every thing else is becoming more and more available and cheaper.

I dont agree that prohibition is the only answer. I beleive that teaching our kids to drink sensibly through our own behaviour and our own example and by offering wine or beer with dinner and seeing it as something that needs to be managed and treated with caution.

I am not talking about giving a five year old a glass of wine but i think we should be letting our kids see there are alternatives to buying a bottle of "voddie" and tipping it down their necks as quickly as possible. Offering them beer at a party or a wine with their dinners or a drink when you ahve friends round takes the excitement away from it and allows them to try it safely. A comment like " thats enough now - no more" allows them to see whats dsensible and whats not. Seeing mum and dad enjoy a sensible drink lets them see an alternative. If its allowed its not exciting

[golach]

Why stop at the under age drinking, IMO under age smoking is just as bad, and I dont just mean tobacco, I mean Cannabis as well.
Many people seem to think this is ok in our times, I dont, to me this is a far worse problem to our teenagers.
We have just seen the police in the Central region smash a Cannabis growing ring.....In Scotland for goodness sake.
And again this IMO a little bit of blow can do more damage in the long run than a Blue Wicked or two

[Fraser Macleod]

For people around my own age (15) drinking is a very large part of our culture, I personally know people that go out every weekend and get very drunk and they're only 16 years old, but it's their own choice; everybody whos old enough to work out how to get hold of alcohol is almost certainly aware of what it can do and they very soon learn their limits, of course in many youths opnions alchols only fun when you're over your limit. We know what it feels like to wake up wit a hangover and we know what its like to spend an hour or so slung over a toilet regurgitating whatever we've eaten and drunk. It's not a case of ignorance it's simply a choice a very large number of youths make. We're put in a position where we make that choice through a number of reasons be them friends with booze, parents who don't care if we drink, peer pressure ect. No matter whether people attempt to stop young people drinking or not we'll still be able to get hold of it because inevitably there will always be someone willing to buy it for us who remembers exactly what the 'thrill' of underage drinking felt like when they were a teenager. Guys and gals my age inherently want to drink because we all just want to be more grown up and everyone over 18 is doing it so the basic mentallity is 'Why shouldn't we?'. Fluff's point about parent's taking responsiblty for teaching their children a sensible amount to drink is a good one and would help alot of teenagers who usually end up learning what a sensible amount is by drinking far more than it and suffering the reprocusions. In the end though you have to accept that everyone who drinks will undoubtedly drink more than necassary on one occasion or another and it seems apparent that the age people start drinking at is winding back to younger than the legal limit.

Ciao

[_Ju_]

I think it may tell us something about the "drinking culture" in the UK :(

What I find is that alot of people (starting with adults!) here go have a drink with the sole intent of getting drunk. It is something that is endemic to more North european countries and not exclusive to the UK. Alot of people in Southern European countries enjoy their drink, mostly accompanied by a prolonged social meal and with the intent of enhancing that meal and enjoying the taste of the drink.

What can help youngsters drink more responsably here (or anywhere)? Maybe grown ups drinking responsably and leading by example: an excelent glass of wine is not an exxcelent bottle of wine.

[tenabowla]

Surely a sensible approach is to allow a taste be be allowed to given within the home for 16-18 year olds in a controlled manner, also shows that there is enjoyment to be had rather than them doing in alone and hiding the fact.

[danc1ngwitch]

i never drank under age, i dont drink now, i think all children will experiment. Thats not the problem, the problem is the ones who go out week after week.
I do agree wea the whole lets worry not only of the drink but of the drugs aswell as the glue...

[Fluff]

one thing that annoys me is the pressure. as i said before i dont drink much nor does my boyfriend but quite often if we do go out with others we get constantly asked why we are not drinking!
it is no one elses buisness and some people try to make us feel emabressed or ashamed. we are both strong willed, bu not everyone is.
i know that alot of people including teens drink to fit in, i know i did.

[ks]

I think that the age for drinking should be reduced to 16, you can get married and have kids at this age so why not drink. I think that it would reduce the wow factor for the 16 and 17 year olds about getting drunk if it was legal.

[badger]

Somehow it also needs to be made acceptable not to drink alcohol. Peer pressure again, and not just with youngsters. Someone was complaining on the radio that it's almost impossible to get an adult, non-alcoholic drink in pubs, restaurants etc. We need to change the British attitude that it's somehow wimpish not to be able to drink a lot and you have to be legless to enjoy yourself. Never understood the latter - how can you enjoy yourself if you can't even remember later what you were doing? Also heard it suggested that more education needed in schools about what excessive drinking does, i.e. kills you. Although it seems even that doesn't matter to some kids - they just don't care, which is sad.

[Victoria]

one thing that annoys me is the pressure. as i said before i dont drink much nor does my boyfriend but quite often if we do go out with others we get constantly asked why we are not drinking!
it is no one elses buisness and some people try to make us feel emabressed or ashamed. we are both strong willed, bu not everyone is.
i know that alot of people including teens drink to fit in, i know i did.

Hi Fluff,

me and my boyfriend are exactly the same and we have the same problem. My argument is normally "we don't tell you NOT to drink, so dont try and force us TO drink"

[colmac]

What teens do not realise, is that you do NOT have to drink alcohol to have a fun evening. I find that the times I do not drink any alcohol, being the designated driver for the evening, I have just as much, if not more fun than my friends that are spewing their guts out in the gutter. AND I don't suffer the next morning!! [lol]

[tenabowla]

i never drank under age, i dont drink now, i think all children will experiment. Thats not the problem, the problem is the ones who go out week after week.
I do agree wea the whole lets worry not only of the drink but of the drugs aswell as the glue...

Why are we of into the drugs and glue bit.

[ks]

surely it is upto parents to educate kids not to follow the crowd and not to be allow themselves to be pressurised into drinking and talking drugs aong with lots of other things

[tenabowla]

Not sure that the glue is an issue in Thurso, has certainly been on the agenda in Wick for a fair old while.

Is this relevant though to the initial thread????????? d witch

[j_1971son]

Thanks to all those who have got involved in this discussion, i would like to add a few more points. The police tend to get more involved where drugs is concerened, however the point about smoking is also relevant. Why do kids not understand that untill they reach the age limit of 16 for smoking that they can easily damage there lungs as they have not fully developed, which probably means the same with alcohol and their livers. My stepdaughter has smoked since she was eleven and is now 15, no matter how hard i try and stop her she just ignores me, maybe this all gets back to a point that alcohol and cigarettes are far too cheap and far too easily available. But the original point still remains the same far too many kids are getting hold of this stuff and we as a community should be trying to stop this, of course you cannot stop every determined youngster and i wouldn't mind limiting my kids to drinking an odd glass of wine with their meal as we all know a kid gets drunk so much quicker than an adult, but when people openly serve people under age it really frustares me.

[kwbrown111]

Fair points about alcohol, must of us did that underage but we didn't then go about vandalising and being totally anti-social so what else is causing all this. I really wish i had a real reason behind this but i'm stumped. Maybe the old approach of getting clips around the ears and rears kicked by police may be needed to be brought back in.

[tenabowla]

I don't necessarily see that drink and vandalism are stongly linked. Many of those of a mind to vandalise will do so with or without drink or other influences.

[Sandra_B]

Maybe pocket money should be cut back on I know I couldn't afford to smoke and drink till I started working, and then very little.

[Penelope Pitstop]

Maybe pocket money should be cut back on I know I couldn't afford to smoke and drink till I started working, and then very little.

I'm not sure that alot of them buy it with their own money. Many of them get it bought for them or given to them by their "friends". Then there are others who raid the cupboards before they go out!! I'm totally in agreement with teach them by example and let them try a little at home with a meal or if you have company round.

I'm really not a happy bunny this morning. Last night my daughter (16 1/2)was out at a friends party in her house. I dropped her off at 8pm and went back to collect her at 12. Well the sight that greeted me when I went back to collect her was shocking. Young kids from as young as 14 wandering about outside the house with bottles of drink in their hand. Another lad sitting on a boulder at the side of the road with his head between his knees. I could see in one of the hosue windows (no I wasn't a peeping Tom, I could see it from my car sitting outside in the street) and the kitchen table was literally covered in bottles of drink. The most worrying thing was that there was no sign of parents. My daughter had had a drink, but she was none the worse for wear. She said alot of the kids were staying over...........the mind boggles. (Asked her about the parents....she didn't know where they were)

I just wonder if the parents were away ......
Also, who bought all the drink.....

Also worth mentioning that the party was organised a few weeks ago so it wasn't spur of the moment (invitations were sent out!!).

Sorry for the wee rant on a Sunday morning, it's on my mind and need to get it off my chest!!

[Fluff]

i think what would help the temptation to drink less would be the prices! go to a pub, restraunt etcc.. soft drinks are almost always the same price if not more pricey than acoholic drinks.
some bars you can get say 10 shots for the same price as 1 can of cola! why cant they have 10 free refill of soft drinks for the same price!

that really annoys me!

[lasher]

I'm not sure that alot of them buy it with their own money. Many of them get it bought for them or given to them by their "friends". Then there are others who raid the cupboards before they go out!! I'm totally in agreement with teach them by example and let them try a little at home with a meal or if you have company round.

I'm really not a happy bunny this morning. Last night my daughter (16 1/2)was out at a friends party in her house. I dropped her off at 8pm and went back to collect her at 12. Well the sight that greeted me when I went back to collect her was shocking. Young kids from as young as 14 wandering about outside the house with bottles of drink in their hand. Another lad sitting on a boulder at the side of the road with his head between his knees. I could see in one of the hosue windows (no I wasn't a peeping Tom, I could see it from my car sitting outside in the street) and the kitchen table was literally covered in bottles of drink. The most worrying thing was that there was no sign of parents. My daughter had had a drink, but she was none the worse for wear. She said alot of the kids were staying over...........the mind boggles. (Asked her about the parents....she didn't know where they were)

I just wonder if the parents were away ......
Also, who bought all the drink.....

Also worth mentioning that the party was organised a few weeks ago so it wasn't spur of the moment (invitations were sent out!!).

Sorry for the wee rant on a Sunday morning, it's on my mind and need to get it off my chest!!
And did you not ask where the parents were before letting your daughter go, and did you just pick her up and leave the rest to it, should of phoned the coppers that would of sorted it out!

[Penelope Pitstop]

And did you not ask where the parents were before letting your daughter go, and did you just pick her up and leave the rest to it, should of phoned the coppers that would of sorted it out!

Of course I asked if the parents were going to be in. I was told by daughter that parents were going to be in!!!! What more do you do.....have to show signs of trust.

Would rather talk to the parents and let them know.

[wavy davy]

i think what would help the temptation to drink less would be the prices! go to a pub, restraunt etcc.. soft drinks are almost always the same price if not more pricey than acoholic drinks.
some bars you can get say 10 shots for the same price as 1 can of cola! why cant they have 10 free refill of soft drinks for the same price!

that really annoys me!

Please let me know which bar you are referring to - I'll be there next weekend.

[dozerboy]

I dont agree that prohibition is the only answer. I beleive that teaching our kids to drink sensibly through our own behaviour and our own example and by offering wine or beer with dinner and seeing it as something that needs to be managed and treated with caution.

I am not talking about giving a five year old a glass of wine but i think we should be letting our kids see there are alternatives to buying a bottle of "voddie" and tipping it down their necks as quickly as possible. Offering them beer at a party or a wine with their dinners or a drink when you ahve friends round takes the excitement away from it and allows them to try it safely. A comment like " thats enough now - no more" allows them to see whats dsensible and whats not. Seeing mum and dad enjoy a sensible drink lets them see an alternative. If its allowed its not exciting

Just what I have been saying at the top of this thread!!

[Buttercup]

Where are they getting all the money to spend on booze & ciggies? Not all teenagers have an after-school/Saturday job and the non-workers can only sponge of the workers for so long. So it must be their parents. Do they (parents) never wonder what their kids are spending the money on?

[justine]

Where are they getting all the money to spend on booze & ciggies? Not all teenagers have an after-school/Saturday job and the non-workers can only sponge of the workers for so long. So it must be their parents. Do they (parents) never wonder what their kids are spending the money on?
Hi there.Well i have to agree with you on that one it must be the parents...My 12 yr old daughter lied to me fort he first time 2 weeks ago about where she was staying.She was supposed to be going to a friends house but apprently there was a party going on, and i was disgusted at the fact that a father took his 9 yrd old child, left her at the party with a slightly older child and they both got drunk.The father did tell his child not toget drunk, but did they listen.The one thing that supprised me more than anything was the fact that the father took the child to a party knowing that fags and booze were available...Talk about putting a child on the front line.....I am a non-drinker and will ahve to say that i did drink whilst underage and the only thing that i got from it was an alcahol problem, i have not drunk for over 16yrs and i am glad that my daughter did not drink as i have always explained to her what can happen.her friends weres hocked that she told them that she did not smoke or drinkl, but she knows that you do not have to do the same to have friends..........Why cant the parents be alot more sensible.If you drink infront of your kids they see it as normal,same as all actions taken by parents are seen as acceptable to most youngsters.....Why do they feel the need to allow children to drink and smoke but to partiscipate in it is just so sad,.....

[cuddlepop]

What teens do not realise, is that you do NOT have to drink alcohol to have a fun evening. I find that the times I do not drink any alcohol, being the designated driver for the evening, I have just as much, if not more fun than my friends that are spewing their guts out in the gutter. AND I don't suffer the next morning!! [lol]
This is what my 19 year old son discovered when he went down to Glasgow to see his girlfriend.Its a "Big bad city" and with a drink in him he tends to find trouble.He decided to stay sober and had a brilliant time.
His excuse for still getting bladderd when he goes out for a drink in Portee is that its so boring you need something to remove the void.:confused