Under-10s treated for alcohol abuse every week
A Freedom of Information request has revealed that one child under 10 is treated for alcohol abuse every week in Scotland.
Nearly 5,000 children and young people were treated for alcohol abuse in Scotland between 2011 and 2013The request submitted by the Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed a total of 225 children aged nine and under have been admitted to hospital for alcohol abuse in the past three years.
Within the age band of 10 to 18-year-olds, 4,884 children and young people were treated for alcohol-related conditions during the same period.
The regions of Ayrshire and Arran recorded the greatest number of alcohol-relted incidents, with Ayrshire reporting 1,483 10 to 18-year-olds needing treatment between 2011 and 2013, and Arran treating 1,385 over the same time frame.
They also displayed the highest number of under 10 year olds needing care for alcohol-related conditions, with 86 children being treated between 2011 and 2013.
“These figures show that young people will pay the price for Scotland’s failure to tackle problem drinking,” said Jim Hume MSP, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson. “People will be shocked to learn that more than 200 children under 10 years of age were treated for alcohol-related injury or illness.
“These children should be out kicking a ball about, not hitting the bottle.
“It should set alarm bells ringing across society that so many young people who should not be drinking are being treated by our NHS staff for alcohol-related conditions. Problem drinking can rip apart families and places enormous financial strain on our public services, from our hospitals to our criminal justice system.
“If we are to change our national drinking culture young people must be given the education they need to make informed decisions about the impact alcohol misuse can have on their lives.
“Scottish Government ministers must work with young people to develop the most effective response to these troubling figures.”
