London Assembly outlines measures to cut youth alcohol abuse
By Neil Puffett
Children & Young People Now
15 June 2009
A raft of measures to tackle alcohol misuse among London's young people have been set out after research revealed the capital's 11- to 15-year-olds drink the equivalent of 180,000 bottles of beer each week.
The first comprehensive study of drinking habits among young people in the capital, carried out by the London Assembly Health and Public Services Committee, also revealed:
- Young women aged 11 to 15 are now drinking more heavily
- There has been a large increase in the proportion of young people from Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities drinking
- Young people in outer London are more likely to misuse alcohol than those in inner boroughs.
The committee has made a total of nine recommendations for tackling the problem.
These include calling on London mayor Boris Johnson, as well as local authority leaders, to focus more effort on the issue.
The committee also calls on the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to run a Frank campaign around alcohol and ensure alcohol education forms part of the mandatory personal, social and health education curriculum.
James Cleverly, chair of the London Assembly Health and Public Services Committee, said: "We hope this report will highlight the problem, as well as outlining a set of recommendations that will help young Londoners stay safe with alcohol and to ensure this issue is given the priority it deserves."
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