An article from www.thisisplymouth.co.uk says that new figures show that the number of children committing drink-related crime in the Westcountry has doubled in four years.
Almost 2,500 children in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset have been fined, cautioned or taken to court for abusing alcohol between 2003 and 2007. The record figures come after the Chief Medical Officer warned earlier this month that parents who had a “laissez-faire” attitude to their children’s drinking were putting them at risk. Sir Liam Donaldson said people who allowed their teenagers to drink alcohol with their friends could be storing up problems while middle-class families who diluted their children’s wine may also be misguided.
Personally I would offer my children a very small amount of wine occasionally with a meal so disagree with Sir Liam saying I’m a misguided parent! As someone who grew up with relatives and friend’s parents who struggled with alcoholism, I am very aware of the effect alcoholism has on children and am very honest with my own kids. I think that banning kids from drinking when they are teenagers will just lead to further problems down the line. Whatever you tell kids they can’t have – they’re obviously going to find mysterious, magical and very very attractive.
You can read the whole article on www.thisisplymouth.co.uk