Children as young as 12 drink as many as 19 glasses of wine PER WEEK

Updated: 08:08 EDT, 31 October 2011

Children as young as 12 are drinking the equivalent of 19 glasses of wine a week, a report has found.

By the time they are 14-15, around a quarter of young people are getting drunk at least once a week, according to a Schools Health Education Unit study.

The survey of more than 83,000 pupils aged between 10 and 15 found that four per cent of 12- to 13-year-olds had drunk 28 or more units of alcohol in the last week. Drinking culture: A quarter of children are getting drunk once a week by the time they are 14 (picture posed by models)

This exceeds the Government's daily unit guidelines for men (three to four units) and women (two to three units).

Three units equates to two small (125ml) glasses of wine (12 per cent) or a whole pint of strong lager (five per cent) or cider.

The report is based on data collected from pupils in Years Six, Eight and 10 across the UK.

About 15 per cent of Year 10s (14- to 15-year-olds) said they had been drunk more than twice in the week.

The study also revealed that 11 per cent of Year 10 pupils drank more than 10 units of alcohol in the last week.

Simon Antrobus, chief executive of the charity Addaction, said: 'These new figures back up our own experiences. We know children who drink at younger ages are the ones who need help most. Troubled youth: Children aged 12 to 13 are drinking more than 28 units per week (picture posed by models)

'We also know that children whose parents misuse alcohol are more likely to develop their own problems later in life.

'It is essential that these children, and  their families, have access to specialist support at the earliest possible opportunity.'

Beer, larger and cider are popular choices with boys, while girls are opting for wine and spirits.

Almost a third of the Year 10 boys questioned drank at least a pint of beer or lager in the last seven days, while one in five had had one or more pints of cider.

Of the Year 10 girls questioned, one in five drank at least one measure of spirits in the last week, while 16 per cent had had one or more glasses of wine. Trendy booze: Sweet alcopops that appeal to teenagers have caused concern as Britain's alcohol problems spiral out of control

Most are drinking at home or at the house of a friend or relative, with only a small number buying alcohol from a supermarket, nightclub or off-licence.

Alcohol Concern said: 'As well as the well-publicised trouble caused by young people drinking to get drunk in town centres at weekends, involvement in a drinking sub-culture at a young age can easily cause consumption to escalate.

'This can lead to risky behaviour in terms of sex and violence, and associated disruption to education and social development. Dependency can develop, and recent figures on liver disease in the young show that severe health problems can follow in only a few years.

'Although the "drink to get drunk" culture is well-established and will not change quickly, there are things that can be done to help.

'Availability should be controlled through a minimum price for alcohol and enforcement of the licensing law on sales to minors (and to those over 18 appearing to be drunk).

'Alcohol marketing activities, which reinforce the appeal and necessity of alcohol in social situations, should be restricted to over-18s.'

Cannabis was the most tried drug by Year 10s, with 15 per cent of the boys saying they had taken it.

One in 10 of the age group had mixed drugs and alcohol at the same time

A very small percentage had tried other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and crack..

The teenagers were also asked whether they ever carried weapons for protection.

Of the Year 10 boys, 18 per cent said they sometimes carry a weapon, with five per cent of these always carrying one.

Children as young as 12 drink as many as 19 glasses of wine IN ONE WEEK
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