Legal Drinking Age in the UK
Did you know that in the UK, children as young as five can be given alcohol when in a private home? Legally!
A recent research prompted Alcohol Concern to call for stricter laws: increase the age limit to 15 instead of 5; enforce the law around underage purchase; end alcohol advertising on TV and in cinemas where they are showing films with ratings below 18; make alcohol education to be part of the school curriculum.
The study says that, "the amount of alcohol consumed by girls aged between 11-13 has increased by 82.6% between 2000-2006, while for boys the number has gone up by 43.4% during the same period."
Even without the research results, why oh why would anyone allow children to drink alcohol? Did those parents miss lessons about the effects of alcohol?
May 3rd, 2007 at 8:19 am
In Canada, minors can drink in licensed restaurants if the drink is bought by a parent and with a meal and as far as I know, there are no age restrictions for alcohol at home. Of course, as you said – what parent would give minors alcohol anyway? When I was a kid, we were allowed a small glass of wine at Christmas, Easter, etc – but that was it.
May 4th, 2007 at 7:44 am
I think it’s wrong to give children alcohol. Obviously, these parents missed the health briefing
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:01 pm
I do not think that it is wrong to give children alchohol if in small amounts and on special occasions. When I was a child, my parents let me drink alchohol (one drink) whenever it was a holiday, at our own house, once I was thirteen. There are other countries also that don’t even have a drinking age. I believe that if not allowed a small drink once in a while, it could cause children to rebel, and drink too much.
August 17th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Some clarification is required on what is legal in the UK as the comment here are misleading. Children under the age of 5 are not allowed to drink alcohol unless in the form of medication or in emergency (nor sure emergency would require this), children above the age of 5 can drink a glass of wine (wine only) with a meal. At the age of 16 children can drink beer wine and cider (not spirits) with a meal when purchased and accompanied by an adult. At 18 they are allowed to drink all alcoholic drink and can purchase these in Pub, off-licenses and supermarkets.
Perhaps in the future this weblog can be more accurate and give a balanced viewpoint