Title:

Alcohol Abuse

Publish Date:

January 2011

ISBN:

978 1 86168 579 7

Covering Ages:

11 to 14 years

Issue Description

So-called 'binge drinking' is a widespread problem often perceived to be particularly common amongst young people. But are this group the only culprits when it comes to dangerous drinking? Research shows that people of all ages are increasingly consuming large amounts of alcohol. This book covers the effects of alcohol on short- and long-term health, as well as the social issues associated with alcohol abuse.

The information comes from a variety of sources, including government reports and statistics, newspapers and magazine articles, surveys and polls, academic research and literature from charities and lobby groups; articles have been tailored to an 11 to 14 age group. Additionally, at the end of each chapter are two pages of activities relating to the articles and issues raised in that chapter.

Price:

£5.95

Quantity:

Key Facts

• The proportion of 11- to 15-year-olds across England who have never drunk alcohol has risen from 39% in 2003 to 48% in 2008. (page 1)
  
  
• Alcohol affects the part of the brain used to think. This means a drunk person can’t think as clearly or judge situations as effectively as usual. (page 5)
  
  
• Alcohol gets into the blood through blood vessels in the lining of the stomach. The blood carries alcohol around the body to all the different organs. The more alcohol in the blood, the more drunk someone will feel. (page 6)
  
  
• Men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol per week (and no more than four units in any one day). Women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week (and no more than three units in any one day). (page 7)
  
  
• Every year, more than 10,000 fines for being drunk and disorderly are issued to young people aged 16 to 19. (page 11)
  
  
• More than 9,000 people in the UK die from alcohol-related causes each year. About 20% of these deaths are from cancer, 15% from cardiovascular illnesses, such as heart disease and stroke, and 13% are from liver disease. (page 13)
  
  
• The UK has one of the highest binge drinking rates in Europe. Although it’s often associated with inexperienced teenagers, approximately a quarter of adults in England admit to binge drinking. (page 16)
  
  
• Around 500 people a week in England end up in A&E hospital departments as a result of alcohol poisoning, and 157 died from it in 2007. (page 17)
  
  
• Almost a third (30%) of children feel scared when they see adults drinking, a study for CBBC’s Newsround found. (page 21)

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Table of Contents

Chapter One: Alcohol and Health

Young people and alcohol, Measuring alcohol – units, Alcohol and the body, Alcohol and sensible drinking, Young people and alcohol – what are the risks?, ‘Social drinking’: the hidden risks, Activities.

Chapter Two: Tackling Problem Drinking

Binge drinking, Affluent teenagers drink more, study shows, Crime and disorder, Drink driving, Half of children see parents drunk, Key facts about alcohol, The real cost of alcohol, Alcohol advertising, Activities.

Key facts

Glossary

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