2/8/2005 - Crackdown on underage drinking

A major crackdown on underage drinking in Cumbria gets underway today as new research reveals that 61% of local 14-17 year olds drink alcohol illegally each week.

A two month enforcement campaign is being driven by Cumbria Constabulary and Cumbria County Council’s Trading Standards Department. The move has been prompted by a survey of nearly 13,000 teenagers across the North West, which shows 40% of underage drinkers buy their own alcohol - most often from off-licences, pubs and clubs.

The results in Cumbria show that 61% of under 18’s drink alcohol at least once a week, 23% one to two times a month, 11% drink it only once every 2 to 12 months and just 5% never drink alcohol. The survey also shows that 40% of young people in Cumbria claim to buy their own alcohol.

Phil Ashcroft, Head of Cumbria Trading Standards said:

"Local youngsters are being put at risk by alcohol abuse. Drinking often causes young people to get involved in antisocial behaviour which plagues decent, hardworking families. Trading Standards and the Police will clamp down hard on anyone caught selling alcohol to under 18’s."

The North West’s Deputy Director of Crime Reduction, Gail Porter said:

"Curbing underage drinking and clamping down on the illegal sale of alcohol to children is a priority for the Government. As this campaign shows, we will not tolerate the nuisance, violence and antisocial behaviour that stems from irresponsible licensees and retailers selling alcohol to children."

Penalties have already been introduced to try and curb underage alcohol sales. Retailers can be fined up to £1,000 if caught selling alcohol to minors and risk having their alcohol license revoked. Young people caught drinking alcohol could be issued with a fixed £50 fine.

The campaign comes as the first results are published from the North West’s most comprehensive survey of underage drinking activities. Among the shock findings to emerge across the North West are that: 

53% of children aged 14 to 17 say they drink alcohol at least once a week, compared with just 12% who say they never drink.

40% of young people claim they buy their own alcohol, despite the fact that it is illegal.

Of those buying their own alcohol, 70% say they get it from off-licenses, 58% from pubs and 40% from nightclubs. One in three claim they have been illegally sold alcohol by supermarkets.

45% of young people say they spend up to £10 on alcohol per week, and 16 per cent say they spend more than £11.

The most popular place for young people to drink is on the streets or in parks (29%), followed by pubs (26%) and nightclubs (16%).