There is no doubt that in the past seven years there has been a major change in this country’s attitude to underage drinking. I think it’s fair to say that before 2005, in many areas of the country and particularly in rural villages, a relaxed view was taken.
I would go so far as to say that underage drinking was tolerated in the local pub and the proverbial ‘blind eye’ was turned. There was simply not the political will to do anything about it and it was not recognised as an enforcement priority at the time.
Times have changed significantly since then and led to the creation of new business; there are companies that specialise in providing their own test-purchase challenges for operators and then there are the companies that manufacture the increasingly ubiquitous Challenge 21 or Challenge 25 posters and badges.
The sale of alcohol to under-18s is a key enforcement area for the police and for trading standards, who use children under the age of 18 to test licence holders, designated premises supervisors and their staff. If a test is failed then a warning or more likely a fixed penalty notice (also new legislation) can be issued and probably a further test purchase with much more serious consequences if there is a second failure.
The police and trading standards always had the tools to do the job; it was just as much an offence under the old act as under the Licensing Act 2003 to sell alcohol to someone under 18, or for someone aged under 18 to attempt to purchase a drink — it’s simply that no-one was terribly bothered about it.
Licences, particularly off-licences, have been revoked for two failed test purchases within a short period of time, leaving aside the separate and again new power (recently increased) to close licensed premises where there have been two failures within a three-month period.
Despite the Government’s ‘propaganda’, alcohol consumption is generally down and consumption among young persons is also down, although there is anecdotal evidence from hospitals that some younger people are drinking more heavily.
This increased vigilance and awareness has led to several women I know who are pushing 35 being asked for ID (they are not sure whether they should be flattered or not), and parents in a queue with children with alcohol in trolleys being told that the sale of alcohol cannot proceed because the supervisor cannot be sure that the purchase is not being made for consumption by a child under 18.
While I, of course, fully support a more rigorous enforcement of the law, I am concerned that there is a demonisation of the consumption of alcohol and that this is not necessarily healthy.
I know that there has been a more relaxed attitude historically in some European countries, but I read recently that France is now taking a harder line because of increased problems among the young.
My principal concern is that while these campaigns are definitely working, is anyone looking at whether there is an adverse social impact on young people? In my part of the world, and I believe elsewhere, there is a ‘house-party’ circuit that seems to involve children of 14 and above being invited to houses with or without the parents and consuming alcohol there. It is not a controlled or social environment and the alcohol is likely to be harder, with spirits rather than beer or lager.
I wonder which is the greater social ill — the consumption of vodka in a stranger’s living room without any proper supervision, or the consumption of two or three ‘session-strength’ pints over a longer period of time, where there is a mix of younger and older people, conversation, sport on the television, pool tables and so on?
I know that these views may cause outrage, but I would seriously consider allowing limited consumption of alcohol by children of 16 or above (say up to two pints of weaker bitter or lager) on one visit to the pub.
I say this because society does not forbid or prevent children from drinking alcohol — it is perfectly lawful to do so at home and I imagine there would be an outcry if attempts were made to interfere with the sanctity of family life in this way, yet similar consumption in a social environment is not allowed.
As I have mentioned earlier in the article, these views are my own, but I do believe there is nothing wrong with a bit of controversy!