Drinking over Xmas!

Southport's Rock Pub the Fox and Goose this week launched its campaign with PCBT Photography to warn people not to drink and drive or ride.   Miranda Schunke investigates the background of drinking in the UK.  

 

Addiction to alcohol, particularly amongst young people, has increased dramatically according to a recent report.  The report, carried out by the charity Alcohol Concern, entitled 'State of the Nation', asserts that one in 13 people are addicted to alcohol while dependence on drugs only affects one
in 26.

Drinking amongst 11 to 15 year olds has doubled from 5.3 units per week in 1990 to 10.4 units per week in 2000.  In 1999 5,508 people died from alcohol-related incidents compared to 3,853 in 1994.

The number of drink-drive accidents per year has also risen by over a thousand since 1998.  Furthermore, according to recent scientific experiments, women may be more susceptible to the dangers of alcohol than men.  Although the studies have not yet been confirmed, it is believed that because females have more fat and less liquid in their bodies than males, the concentration of alcohol in their bloodstream reaches higher levels.

Traditionally, tests on the effect of alcohol have been carried out on males and results may not be accurate when applied to females. Director of Alcohol Concern, Eric Appleby, has called for urgent action at a national level.  He said, 'What we need is a coordinated strategy that tackles alcohol misuse on all fronts: education, public campaigns, community safety, counseling and treatment'.

 

See our Night Life pages for places to drink!

Glass on Streets!

"More and more glass bottles are finding their way smashed on our streets.  On Lord Street at 3.00pm I found 10 smashed in a 4 metre line.  I think people should consider others this Christmas and stop smashing bottles on our streets!"   Name and Address supplied!

Remember an article for help?

Coordinator and helpers try to get others on board! (Above)

An ambitious scheme to get some of Liverpool's most unruly teenagers back into work and education  is still after people to help!   This system could help Sefton if it works, but it is down to this pilot scheme succeeding.

Persistent young criminals, teenagers who repeatedly carry out anti-social behavior, abuse drugs or may have been excluded from school are to be targeted by the Youth at Risk programmed. 

The aim is to  get more volunteer coaches to work with the 15 to 17-year-olds to help them see how different life can be.  And, for the nine month scheme to be a real success and make a difference to the lives of the 30 or so teenagers, organizers now need volunteers from the local community.

"We need more help to make this project a shining example for the North West. We want to show the young people on Merseyside that there is alternative solutions  in solving problems rather than violence and anti-social behavior ." Said one helper.  

 For further details please contact Claire Norman at Liverpool City Council Newscentre on 0151 225 3261 or 07740 832595

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