When questioning a number of teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 year olds the charity Drinkaware found that 8% admitted when questioned that their drinking is purely down to having nothing else to do. A staggering one-third (29%) of the 1,071 polled said that at some point they had drunk alcohol out of boredom.
The charity has warned that the problem is likely to increase over the summer months, as many teenagers find themselves with little to do.
In a separate survey carried out by Alcohol Concern, which polled more than 1,000 teachers, nurses, doctors, police and public health consultants, findings suggested that the overwhelming majority want tougher rules on the sale of alcohol, such as the banning off excessive drinking in pubs and clubs, more readily available information on the total units per drink and the option to buy alcohol in smaller measures.
Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “Our message is clear – there must be tighter regulation on the sale, labeling and advertising of alcohol to tackle this growing problem. We need to get the message through to consumers about the dire consequences of drinking to excess.”
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