Boredom drives teens to drink

Being bored can lead teenagers to binge drink, a report claims today.Nearly one in 10 young people drink alcohol at least once a week to kill time, found charity Drinkaware, which polled 1,071 teens aged 16 and 17 online. A third (29%) of the 1,071 young people asked said they had drunk alcohol out of boredom at some point.

Now, as school summer holidays begin and many young people with extra spare time on their hands struggle to find something to do with themselves, the charity fears the problem will get worse. It expects 61% of 16- and 17-year-olds to indulge at some point in the next few months. Given £20 per week to spend, 13% said they would be more likely to spend the money on alcohol and partying than shopping or entertainment.

Another worry is that alcohol increases the likelihood of teenagers getting themselves into difficult situations that they aren't mature enough to handle such as being exposed to crime, getting an STD or having an unwanted pregnancy. "Drinking can increase the chances of either being the victim or a perpetrator of a crime,” Chris Sorek, chief executive of Drinkaware, told the Press Association news agency. “ It may also increase the chances of having unprotected sex which can lead to sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies. "If young people are drinking they should eat something beforehand, space their alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks, look after their mates and if they're out, plan how they're going to get home."

Teachers, nurses, doctors, police and public health consultants want tougher rules on the sale of alcohol, such as drinks promotions according to a separate survey of more 1,000 by Alcohol Concern, the UK Faculty of Public Health, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Physicians. "For many young people drinking alcohol, even to excess, is simply a cheap form of entertainment, said Don Shenker, chief executive of the charity Alcohol Concern. "In many areas, there just isn't a good level of organised, free activity during the long summer holidays,” he told the BBC. When 11 litres of supermarket cider costs less than the price of a Harry Potter ticket, it's no wonder they think alcohol is better value for money."

Teens aged under 15 should not drink alcohol, recommends the chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson. But he said young people who do drink are advised not to exceed the recommended guidelines for adults: three to four units of alcohol per day for men, and two to three units per day for women.

By Hayley Jarvis for SOS Children