Apparently almost half of disadvantaged youngsters start drinking before they are 13. I can't say I'm shocked by the figure but what I did find worrying was the fact that half of those said their parents condoned or did not care about their drinking! Again half of these drinkers said they got the alcohol from their local shop so the clampdown on supermarkets selling booze to underage drinkers clearly isn't working.

I always get asked for ID when I try and buy booze in the supermarkets and I'm 28! 

I wonder what the statistics would be for those of more advantaged backgrounds. Do fewer of them drink alcohol? I dare say the statistic is similar, but society is more accepting about a young person having a glass of wine at 12% alcohol than a can of lager at 4%.

Very true. My parents tried to introduce me to drinking safely in their home with a glass of wine at dinner - good old Liebfraumilch and yes that seems far more acceptable than a can of lager on a park bench when it's less alcoholic.

Caroline says she is asked for ID in supermarkets and last year I was asked how old I was by a checkout assistant when I was buying a box of wine with my weekly groceries. Yet how come children as young as 11 are drinking regularly and claim they are getting the booze from supermarkets. Maybe they are getting older kids to buy it for them.

little boho might have a point. What about the figures published last week for the middle class drinkers, apparently they're the worse of the lot. 

A watered down glass of wine with a meal in company is better than a can of lager on a street corner, no question. Drinking has to be put in a social context. If alcohol is a refuge from boredom or used as a chance to big it up then it is going to be disfunctional 

I think boredom plays a massive part. A lot of people give up alcohol for a month during January. I have never managed to do this mainly due to struggling to find ways to fill my Saturday and Friday nights without alcohol being involved.

As someone who has given up drinking for january, bordom is a factor although I find myself reading or watching films more. Does wonders for the bank balance 

I agree with Keefer and Aimes - the world seems a brighter place after a couple of glasses of vino! Maybe if it is down to boredom it's because there aren't enough useful activities for youngsters these days. They only seem to put on these positive activities is disadvantaged areas to try and turn people away from antisocial behaviour but the problems don't just exist in those areas in my mind.

I'm not sure I agree with any of you or your promotion of wanton alcohol consumption. Kids in this country are no more bored than anywhere else in the world but they seem to drink far more and at a younger age. It is a cultural thing, it's considered a right of passage to get bladdered at age 11 in ways it isn't in France, Spain, Switzerland or Western Samoa (probably).

I don't think anyone is advocating a promotion of wanton alcohol consumption, I'm certainly not. This was the concern behind the original posting Willis.

And why is it not considered a right of passage in France, Spain and Switzerland? What can we learn from them as a society?

 I

Ed:

I don't think anyone is advocating a promotion of wanton alcohol consumption

I'm not sure you're right about that - the alcohol industry regularly promotes wanton consumption with its brightly coloured adverts

But seriously, it must be something to do with the culture of kids doing things with their families on the continent but being left to their own devices in this country while their parents watch telly

Ahhh but even those adverts contain the words "please drink responsibly" these days

Admittedly not that kids will take any notice of the small print.

I don't know what's worse, leaving kids to their own devices or dragging them down to the boozer too. Obviously the positive activities would be the bet route here.

I urge moderation

 

As the moderator I daresay you do

All jokes aside it does seem like the sensible approach!