Young people and alcohol
Another New Year has started and I have been reminded yet again how some young people these days seem incapable of having a few drinks without kicking off and starting trouble. Youngsters and alcohol just don't mix. Luckily this time the only damage was a broken nose (not mine) and a smashed car headlight, the later only discovered a couple of days after the event.
You can almost see the trouble taking shape before it happens. Ive been out with friends in the past in pubs and clubs and you can usually spot the trouble makers a mile off. Fortunately, so too can most doormen, and the police are usually present in many town centres these days.
I called them youngsters earlier but I feel I must qualify that. Theyre usually young men between the ages of 16 and 20, although you do sometimes get a few of the older ones that cant handle their drink either. I think Ive only seen a girl causing trouble on a couple of occasions, although Im willing to bet that theyre the reason for many of the heated exchanges Ive observed over the years.
I just cant understand why theres so much aggression around, although perhaps its all down to the fact that teenagers can get their hands on booze relatively easily these days. If its not dodgy off licence that turns a blind eye, its the older brother or friend who buys it for them. Personally, I didnt get into that scene when I was that age - in fact I didnt even go into a pub until I was eighteen. Thats extremely rare these days I think.
The solution I think would be to raise the drinking age to 21 and come down hard on under age drinking, and when I say hard, I mean REALLY hard. Ive seen the police out in the town centres confiscating cans of cider and bottles of vodka, but often the kids get off with a verbal warning. Maybe if the parents were fined then they would keep a closer eye on who they kids hung out with and what they got up to.
That probably sounds a bit harsh, but the situation is out of control. Why should the rest of us foot the bill for a few young idiots that dont know when to stop?
Comments from visitors
Connor, in somebody's house with the permission of everybody's parents, you are most definitely not breaking the law by drinking alcohol. It is in fact legal for any child aged 5 (yes 5) or over to drink alcohol. The legal drinking age is often confused with the legal age for buying. The situation is further confused by over zealous supermarkets sometimes not allowing adults to buy alcohol if they have young teenagers with them!
The jury is still out on whether allowing children to drink at home turns them into binge drinkers, or whether it teaches them that alcohol is just part of life and they don't need to go out and get hammered as soon as they reach 18!
I can only speak from personal experience; my 2 sons were given small amounts of beer and cider when quite small, and then allowed sensible amounts at home as they grew up; and neither of them has ever had any problem with drinking too much.
So enjoy your evenings with friends, don't overdo it and try to encourage others not to as well.
There comes a time when you realise the hangovers aren't worth it! (Unfortunately!)
The jury is still out on whether allowing children to drink at home turns them into binge drinkers, or whether it teaches them that alcohol is just part of life and they don't need to go out and get hammered as soon as they reach 18!
I can only speak from personal experience; my 2 sons were given small amounts of beer and cider when quite small, and then allowed sensible amounts at home as they grew up; and neither of them has ever had any problem with drinking too much.
So enjoy your evenings with friends, don't overdo it and try to encourage others not to as well.
There comes a time when you realise the hangovers aren't worth it! (Unfortunately!)
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grumpyoldwoman - 21-Feb-11 14:53
I think the majority of these comments are being quite unfair.
I'm 17, I like to go drinking with my mates, but only when we're at someones house, that way we don't get told off by all you nosey people making mountains out of molehills.
Sure, we aren't legally allowed to drink, and I respect that, but it doesn't stop us.
I know my limit, I'll separate myself (Or have a friend separate me) if I am getting too aggressive, which I don't. I think it's unfair to blame EVERY teenager for something one or two teenagers do.
If the world worked like that, every man is a pedophile, and every woman is a cougar. Just saying...
I'm 17, I like to go drinking with my mates, but only when we're at someones house, that way we don't get told off by all you nosey people making mountains out of molehills.
Sure, we aren't legally allowed to drink, and I respect that, but it doesn't stop us.
I know my limit, I'll separate myself (Or have a friend separate me) if I am getting too aggressive, which I don't. I think it's unfair to blame EVERY teenager for something one or two teenagers do.
If the world worked like that, every man is a pedophile, and every woman is a cougar. Just saying...
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Oh god its always young people isn't?Get the f@#k over yourselves you old c@#ts and have the balls to say it to their faces instead of whinging on a website!
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Anyone can drink .....at home- get drunk at home....go out into the world.... cause havoc etc etc and be punished only for the 'drunken state he/she is in..... there will always be young people drinking.....regarless !
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My 20 year old went on a binge drinking session from the day of his birthday (Thursday) to lunchtime on Saturday. At that point I picked him up and he started being sick. He continued this for 3 days and was consulted by out of hours doctors, paramedics and finally the hospital due to alcohol poisoning. They said that he could have died of liver failure due to the shock of the alcohol intake in such an excess. It's Wednesday today and whilst at hime, he is still bed riden.
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noneedforname - 28-Apr-10 13:22
It's a good idea to raise the legal drinking age to 21 and all drinkers should be able to produce ID on request from a landlord or the police. The fines from those caught drinking illegally would help pay for the damage done by the age group.
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"Wine makes fools of men." - a very correct old adage.
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Keep Your Head - 27-Apr-10 16:11
I disagree with the proposal to raise the legal age for alcohol purchase to 21 because this penalises the majority of over 18s for the actions of a minority which surely cannot be fair.
There are enough legal sanctions available to the police, local authorities and courts without yet more unnecessary restrictive and patronising legislation.
There are enough legal sanctions available to the police, local authorities and courts without yet more unnecessary restrictive and patronising legislation.
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isn't it time everyone in society stopped blaming someone or something else for their behaviour? How about this attitude: if these teenagers drink themselves into oblivion, they chose to do it, they're to blame, and they should take responsibility! If someone held a gun to their heads, they still had a choice (not a great one, but still a choice) call their (the gun holders) bluff and get shot or not, or get pissed - either way, they made a choice. Everytime one of them walks into an off licence attempting (and too often succeeding) to get alcohol, they made that choice. Granted, if the off licence lets them have it, they're not doing society any favours on the whole and they risk getting a hefty fine or even imprisonment, but what if they refuse? They risk verbal abuse, violent attacks, guns or knives pulled on them, their entire stock trashed, windows put through, family threatened . . . the list goes on!
So back to the teenagers taking the responsibility rather than schools, parents, licencees, the police yadayadayada - they know how old they are, fake ID or not, know if they look a lot older than they are, know if they've got someone else to buy it for them, or just stole it (also an option for some) - if a teenager is found intoxicated, drinking alcohol irresponsibly or behaving like an animal because of it - this goes for the 20 plus' aswell - make them pay the penalty where it hurts - maybe cleaning up the mess so many of them leave behind, preferably evenings and weekends to keep them out of harms way.
So back to the teenagers taking the responsibility rather than schools, parents, licencees, the police yadayadayada - they know how old they are, fake ID or not, know if they look a lot older than they are, know if they've got someone else to buy it for them, or just stole it (also an option for some) - if a teenager is found intoxicated, drinking alcohol irresponsibly or behaving like an animal because of it - this goes for the 20 plus' aswell - make them pay the penalty where it hurts - maybe cleaning up the mess so many of them leave behind, preferably evenings and weekends to keep them out of harms way.
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Clampdown on under age drinkers,the trouble with upping the price of beer is that honest ,proper people who like a drink & CAN BEHAVE get priced out,kids have too much money,too little to do,no "respect " for people s property,lives.etc,still you learn from your parents,if they are anti social twots,you are too....
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west london geezer - 7-Sep-09 20:45
I cannot understand this modern preoccupation with young people and alcohol.Let the youngsters enjoy themselves.I have a nephew of nineteen,He cannot purchase alcohol from his Local sainsburys because they have a "think 25" policy!!!!!!!
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They should definitely raise the legal age limits to 21 in the UK across the board. Also police should be able to do more than confiscate drink and take the kids back home. Slapping a hefty fine or some prison time on the parents might help somewhat. Britain's culture with regards to alcohol is pretty immature on the whole
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Mr Hitler hit the nail on the head. The scum attitudes of a large proportion of society is intolerable. It is sucking the life out of a once great nation. We truly have lost the sense of maturity and responsibility and it seems like there are too many who want to just get pissed and fight rather than go out and work hard for a decent, peaceful, quiet, NORMAL life.
The only thing I didn't agree with was raising the limit to 21. That means you could get married, join the forces and spend your wages on a lottery ticket for 5 years before you could have a beer.
What we need to do instead is shun drunken and aggressive behaviour as a society. Instead it is tolerated and glamourised by crap on the TV, everything from Eastenders, Hollyoaks, Shameless, et al.
The only thing I didn't agree with was raising the limit to 21. That means you could get married, join the forces and spend your wages on a lottery ticket for 5 years before you could have a beer.
What we need to do instead is shun drunken and aggressive behaviour as a society. Instead it is tolerated and glamourised by crap on the TV, everything from Eastenders, Hollyoaks, Shameless, et al.
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Jack Sparrow - 26-Mar-08 08:26
I'm not shocked by teenage binge drinking in the slightest. Not when you can buy about 3 litres of strong white cider for about £3.
Just the other day I saw a 10 year old at a bus stop with a can of Special Brew asking passerbys' for a 'quid.' Telling the to 'f off' as they naturally declined his request.
A boot camp would be a most welcome but this would face too many attacks by all the do-good water-walkers amongst us.
Just the other day I saw a 10 year old at a bus stop with a can of Special Brew asking passerbys' for a 'quid.' Telling the to 'f off' as they naturally declined his request.
A boot camp would be a most welcome but this would face too many attacks by all the do-good water-walkers amongst us.
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Having been teetotal all of my life, I cannot see the appeal in either drinking or getting drunk.
For me, it's a waste of money and a devaluation of our body when drink is taken to extremes.
I have nothing against drink - don't get me wrong - there may even be argument that an occasional drink may be good for you, but I can certainly survive on the vast vast variety of 'soft' drinks that are available AND be in control of myself at all times!
For me, it's a waste of money and a devaluation of our body when drink is taken to extremes.
I have nothing against drink - don't get me wrong - there may even be argument that an occasional drink may be good for you, but I can certainly survive on the vast vast variety of 'soft' drinks that are available AND be in control of myself at all times!
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I tend to agree, it is mostly this chav element that is the problem and it most certainly stems from the parents. You see, the parents of these scummers were young when all the discipline was dropped in schools and have thus grown up with an attitude of getting away with everything. It's this whole scum of society that needs bringing to heel, how we do it God only knows. I think raising the alcohol age to 21 is a must, whether it will do anything is another matter.
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In my eyes and alot of other peoples eyes it's mostly teenagers who 'take-on' a binge culture. I am 15 at the moment, I DO NOT, DO NOT go out every weekend to the park and get drunk enough to start a fight with someone and end up in hospital or a Police van, I dispise these people usually 'chavs' who exhibit this behaviour, I rarely drink alcohol, whenever I do, I drink in extreme moderation a glass of wine or two every couple of months or so, I am a generally healthy, 'buff' person who cares and looks after their body.
I'm not saying drinking is wrong becuase that would be hypocritical, I think drinking to get drunk is wrong. I hear about this when sat in lesson at school, people arranging their weekends (and they don't do it quietly) where they're going to get their 'booze' from and what and how much they are getting; "bottles of vodka for the girls and larger or cider for the lads."
I personally blame the parents of these brain dead 'chavs' they have no respect for authority even if they've had a drink or not. They need a really big kick up the you know where.
I'm not saying drinking is wrong becuase that would be hypocritical, I think drinking to get drunk is wrong. I hear about this when sat in lesson at school, people arranging their weekends (and they don't do it quietly) where they're going to get their 'booze' from and what and how much they are getting; "bottles of vodka for the girls and larger or cider for the lads."
I personally blame the parents of these brain dead 'chavs' they have no respect for authority even if they've had a drink or not. They need a really big kick up the you know where.
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I'm 16, and to be honest I make my own alcohol which is totally legal under UK law, in fact it would have been legal to drink my own produce from the age of 5. but now that I'm not bad at it, it tastes quite good.
yes I think some people do get aggressive when drunk, and It is a shame and I think people need to regulate their intake more. but I don't think we should raise the drinking age to 21, because same thing will happen. I've never had a drink in a pub or brought from an off licence that turns a blind eye, though I know where I could get it. simple reason, it doesn't actually have that much appeal to me, because I make my own.
It has massive appeal to teenagers, I think because it makes them appear to be more grown up (I may be wrong but this is at least part of the attraction) but once they do it a fair few times they will learn not to have too much.
yes I think some people do get aggressive when drunk, and It is a shame and I think people need to regulate their intake more. but I don't think we should raise the drinking age to 21, because same thing will happen. I've never had a drink in a pub or brought from an off licence that turns a blind eye, though I know where I could get it. simple reason, it doesn't actually have that much appeal to me, because I make my own.
It has massive appeal to teenagers, I think because it makes them appear to be more grown up (I may be wrong but this is at least part of the attraction) but once they do it a fair few times they will learn not to have too much.
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As an 18 year old I say alcohol is an amazing social tool.Sure we need to keep it out the hands of those little 12 year old chavs, but once thats all over and done with and we become stricter on ID its going to be more fun for everyone concerned
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I personally would advocate a return to the days when teenagers could sneak into a pub and have a few sly drinks and leave. At least this way they were drinking in a safer environment, and not drinking much for fear of being court. Now everyone drinks on the streets which puts them and others in danger, and is anti-social. I am 15 and know plenty of people my age who drink in parks and on the street, then get into fights, and do stupid things they regret. I know of two girls who have had their stomachs pumped.
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