According to an article on the BBC News Website there is talk of raising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21. Statistics show that alcohol-related illnesses have doubled in the last ten years to 262,844 cases per year and that people suffering injuries due to too much alcohol consumption has again doubled to 148,477 a year. There has also been a 20% rise in hospital admissions from underage drinkers misusing alcohol.

It is obvious that the UK has a problem with alcohol misuse and that children and teenagers are drinking too much too often, but even if the legal age is changed, will this really stop them from drinking? I don’t think so… the main problem my friends and I faced as teenagers was a serious lack of anything to do in the area. We drank because we were board and I expect the situation is still the same now. Unless the government plan on creating somewhere for teenagers to go in the evening the problem will persist.

I’m not saying this is the only issue related to underage drinking; home life, location, choice of friends and many other factors will lead children and teenagers to drink. I doubt the main problem is with young adults between the age of 18 and 21, so I can’t really see how raising the legal drinking age will stop school children from drinking.

The Department for Education and Skills has confirmed that children in the UK will be required by law to stay in education until the age of 18. However, this doesn’t just mean sitting in a classroom and following a textbook, children will also be able to receive training outside of the classroom such as an apprenticeship or other workplace training.

Currently 11% of 16 to 18 year olds in the UK are outside education, training or work so hopefully the new changes will mean children who may have lacked qualifications and workplace skills by dropping out of school early may have greater options when they decide to look for a job.

The changes are planned to come into action by 2013 and further details of the proposal are expected to be published later in the spring. More information can be found at BBC News.