Alcoholics Anonymous Reviews

Irish teenagers are splashing out €145m a year on alcohol -- more than the entire national spend on illegal drugs like heroin. Some start drinking as young as 13, psychiatrists warned yesterday.

The specialists from the Irish College of Psychiatrists have now called for a complete ban on alcohol advertising and the drink sponsorship of sporting events.

Launching the report yesterday, Dr Bobby Smyth said 16-17 year olds -- who legally cannot purchase alcohol -- were spending €20.09 a week on drink.

"This illegal alcohol market is larger in size than the total illegal market in Ireland for drugs such as heroin," he added.

He warned this was of particular concern because of emergency studies showing alcohol could damage the teenage brain.

"The earlier someone starts drinking, the more likely they are to develop a dependence on alcohol as an adult.

"I am seeing people who start drinking at 13 years. That gets boring and they move to drugs at 16 and 18 years," he said.

"Alcohol is a gateway drug -- my advice to parents who don't want their children to have drug problems is to delay their introduction to alcohol."

The report highlighted how Irish children are exposed to high levels of alcohol advertising and sponsorship.

Currently, only a voluntary code of advertising exists for drinks ads -- no company is sanctioned if they breach the code. There is just an "illusion that something is being done", Dr Smyth said.

Abuse

"There are no drug dealers at the table when the social partners are discussing how to tackle drug abuse. So why is the alcohol industry at the table? They would do anything to protect their profits. Meanwhile, hundreds of lives are being lost."

But the psychiatrists dismissed the code as an "exercise in public relations" with the "goal of allaying public concern rather than the required public health intervention".

In relation to sports sponsorship, the report points out that nearly all sports are now linked to alcohol products.

The report sets out how it is possible to change drinking habits across a country and said there has been dramatic reduction in consumption in France over the past 30 years. This followed a range of measures, including restrictions on alcohol promotion.

"The drinks industry has vigorously contested these advertising restrictions in a multitude of legal battles, but the right of the French government has been upheld in the European court," the report stated, adding that "adolescent drunkenness is now rare in France".

Commenting on a report from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland that there has been a major decline in alcohol consumption this year, the psychiatrist said they would view such figures with scepticism.

The drinks group said an analysis of excise receipts from the Revenue Commissioners revealed that alcohol sales were down 7pc in the first eight months of the year.

But the doctors said even with an 8pc fall, Irish people would still be the heaviest drinkers in Europe.

Independent ie