Support for youngsters with drink and drugs problems

Echoing the recent sentiments of Sheriff Kevin Drummond, Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police, David Strang has voiced his concerns about adults buying alcohol for minors.

This is in the same week that fresh support for youngsters in the region with alcohol and drug problems was unveiled by the Big Lottery Fund.

Giving his first report of 2008 to Scottish Borders Council Licensing Board on Friday, January 18, Chief Constable Strang spoke about various court cases heard in the past few months involving people in both Berwickshire and Roxburghshire who were detected for purchasing alcohol for youngsters.

In the majority of these cases charges were brought after the children involved required medical attention, with one Coldingham girl arriving in hospital in a grave condition after drinking alcohol bought for her by an adult. Her levels were recorded as 235mg in 100ml of blood, just 10mg more and she could have died.

Commenting on the issue, the Chief Constable said: "There have been several cases of youngsters requiring medical attention after alcohol was purchased for them by adults.

"Sheriff Drummond has made his feelings extremely clear by stating 'buy drinks for youngsters and you'll be jailed'. He describes it as one of the worst problems in our community at the present time.

"Lothian and Borders Police will continue to work with their partner agencies to address this problem by prevention and enforcement. Recently there have been six people convicted of acting as an agent in the purchase of alcohol to persons under the legal age. Sentences have included 200 hours of community service and substantial fines."

In relation to this under-age drinking figures released last week show that once again the problem shows no signs of going away in Berwickshire.

For the period October 2006-January 2007, 11 youngsters were caught consuming alcohol but for the equivalent period this year the figure is 14. This is yet another increase for the area, although not as severe as results for other periods. Neighbouring Roxburghshire saw under-age drinking almost double, from 43 to 76.

On Tuesday it was announced that extra support for teenagers with drug misuse and alcohol problems in the Borders is to to be provided courtesy of a grant in excess of half a million pounds from the Big Lottery Fund.

Tackling the consequences of alcohol and drugs mis-use, the Reiver Project, to be re-named FACE2FACE in April, deals with the self esteem issues in young people aged 11-18 which often lead to substance abuse.

Led by Borders Counselling on Alcohol and Substances, the Project is one of 10 projects sharing over £3 million from the Big Lottery's Fund Scotland's Investing in Communities Fund announced this week.

Over the next five years FACE2FACE will offer individually tailored counselling services for young people and their families who find themselves in a circle of despair through alcohol, drugs or volatile substance abuse, thanks to their grant of £524,066 from the lottery. The project will also provide a mobile information service and will work with schools, hospitals and the local police to deal with the problem.

Michelle Ballantyne, Head of Services Borders Counselling of Alcohol and Substances said: "We are absolutely thrilled by this award from the Big Lottery Fund and the benefits it will bring to the people of the Scottish Borders. It will allow us to significantly develop our work with young people, reducing the harm that alcohol and substances can cause in their lives and bringing together their support networks within their families and wider community."

Berwickshire Today