IRELAND SHOULD PROMOTE EDUCATION ABOUT ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE
There is plenty of evidence to show that the level of alcohol consumption and related harm among young people is already very high and in some Member States the problem is growing, Mary Banotti MEP said today in Strasbourg. The growing problems of adolescent drunkenness can be clearly associated with fights, violence, truancy, theft and the use of illegal drugs. It is very worrying that the highest levels of binge drinking occurs among 15-16 year olds in Ireland, as well as Denmark and the UK.
Young people are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of alcohol because they still have to reach physical maturity and drinking behaviour that starts during youth can also affect longer-term health and alcohol consumption patterns. While boys seem to drink more frequently and heavily than girls, girls are drinking more and earlier and the gender gap is narrowing. It seems that generally, girls are more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol than boys.
I welcome the European Parliament's recommendation that Member States should take more action to address the problems associated with alcohol abuse by children and adolescents. It is now up to the Irish Government to have a comprehensive policy of promoting health targeted at children, adolescents and their parents, teachers and carers at local, national and European level. Furthermore the Irish authorities must enforce the legislation regarding the promotion, marketing and selling of alcoholic drink.
