HELLOmy name is...

If you’re out with friends and they’re drinking, you might feel pressured to join in. If you don’t want to, then don’t. Stand your ground and don’t let friends try and convince you. It’s always a good idea to have one or two excuses up your sleeve:

Maybe you’ve got a test tomorrow and need a clear head.If you’re into sports and have a game coming up you probably want to stay in top form.

Don’t be afraid to say that you prefer soft drinks and don’t like the taste of alcohol – many people don’t like the taste.

Or you could always pour yourself a soft drink and just let people assume it’s got alcohol in it.

More and more teenagers are actually choosing not to drink at all, so you definitely won’t be alone.

If you have a drink you’ll probably end up doing things you wouldn’t normally do. Whatever happens it’s you who has to live with the consequences so it’s important to stay in control. So why let drink decide?Within this section, you’ll find a few things that may help you stay in control.

Stay in Control

If you do decide to drink here are some

helpful tips on how to drink responsibly.

tHinKBEForE yoU DrinK!

1

5

4

2

3

Eat something first, then alcohol will enter your

bloodstream more slowly because the food helps soak it up.

Last but not least, decide how much you want to drink and know when you’re going to stop.

Try to have standard-sized drinks so you get a better

understanding of how many units of alcohol you’ve had.

It’s a good idea to have a soft drink/water between alcoholic drinks – then you won’t end up too dehydrated.

Tell your parents or carers as well as your friends where

you’re going before you go out.

EvErything you nEEdto KnowABout Alcohol

ExpErtaDviCE...The government has been talking to leading doctors about the affects of alcohol and they’ve come up with the following health advice for parents and children...

1. An alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option. However, if children drink alcohol, it should not be until at least the age of 15 years.

2. If young people aged 15–17 years consume alcohol, it should always be with the guidance of a parent or carer or in a supervised environment

3. Parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health, and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people. If 15–17-year-olds do consume alcohol they should do so infrequently and certainly on no more than one day a week4. Young people aged 15–17 years should never exceed recommended daily adult limits and, on days when they drink, consumption should usually be below such levels.

tHE lEgal StUFFIf you drink alcohol, you’re far more likely to come into contact

with crime. You’re more likely to get into a fight, be violent or

cause criminal damage to other people’s property. As a result,

you could get a criminal record. With one you might find it

much harder to get the job you want in the future.

It’s illegal for you to drink

in a pub or a bar. There is

however, one exception;

if you’re 16 or 17 you can

drink beer, wine or cider

with a meal at a table in a

pub or restaurant, as long as

there is an adult with you.

It’s still illegal for you to

buy alcohol under the age

of 18. It’s also still legal for

parents to give alcohol to

children at any age over

5. What’s changed is that

the government’s doctors

are now saying that it’s

healthiest for you not to

drink any alcohol at all until

you’re 18.

If you’re are under 18, it’s

illegal for you to buy alcohol

or even attempt to buy

alcohol. Adults can also get

into trouble with the police

if they buy alcohol for you.

What’s the law on me

drinking alcohol?

What’s the law on me

buying alcohol?

How mUCH Can i SaFEly DrinK?The healthiest option is to stay alcohol-free until you’re 18,

but if you do drink, try and only do it now and again – and

certainly don’t do it more than once a week!

Never consume more than the recommended daily number

of units for adults (which is 3–4 units a day for men and 2–3

units a day for women).

How is alcohol measured?

The alcoholic content of a drink is measured in units.

For example, a pint of typical-strength lager contains just

over 2 units, while a glass of wine can contain from around

1.5 to over 3 units, depending on its size and strength.

What is a unit of alcohol?

One unit of alcohol is 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol. This is the

amount of pure alcohol in a 25ml single measure of vodka

(ABV 40%), a third of a pint of beer (ABV 5–6%) or half a

standard (175ml) glass of red wine (ABV 12%).

Why does understanding units matter?

One unit measures the amount of alcohol the average

adult’s body can process in an hour – after which there

should be no alcohol left in their bloodstream. However,

this figure of an hour is only an average. It can vary

depending on someone’s weight and size, their gender

and their age. Young people tend to process alcohol more

slowly than adults.

1unit

1.4 units

330mlbeer

1.5units

1.7units 2.1

units

2.3units

275mlalcopop

175mlvodka

175mlwine

1 pintlager/

beer

The units given below are average levels. The strength of

drinks varies by brand. Many display their unit content on

the label to help you drink at a sensible level.

How many units are in a drink?

3.4units

16.8units9.8

units

1 pintlager/

beer

1 pintcider

750mlbottle

wine

2L bottle of cider

How many units are in a drink?

KEEp yoursElfAnd your friEnds

sAfE

It’s a fact that alcohol can leave you vulnerable. If you’re going to drink, the most important thing to do is to make sure that you and your friends stay safe and avoid dangerous situations or people you don’t trust.

Here are some simple things you can do to reduce the risk:

Stay SaFE

2

4Keep close to at least one friend. Never leave one of your friends out alone.

Don’t be shy of talking to

a police officer if you feel

threatened at any time.

1Avoid aggressive people

and walk away from anyone

looking for a fight.

3

5 If you ever feel something’s not right, then you should leave

whatever situation you are in immediately.

Keep money aside so you can get home. Always have a number for a cab company with you before you go out.

If you drink excessively you effectively do not have one. At least to any meaningful degree. To many it has resulted in loss of job, family and home. Low self esteem and criminality. It can also lead to death, by accident or your own hand.Getting A Criminal Record

Young people who drink alcohol are much more likely to come into contact with crime. The result could well be that they end up with a criminal record, which can damage their prospects for the rest of their life. It can certainly exclude them from some jobs and, for particular offences, prevent them from traveling abroad to some countries like USA.

Falling Behind At School

Because your body is still developing, you will take longer to process alcohol that an adult. This means that if you drink alcohol the night before school or college, you’re more likely to feel awful the next day and do poorly at lessons. And if you drink regularly you’re actually twice as likely to get bad marks.

mESSing witH yoUr FUtUrE

the effects of alcohol

Drinking clouds your judgement and makes it harder for you to make good decisions. You or your friends can quickly find yourselves in

situations you didn’t expect and end up doing things you might regret.

UnwantED SEx

in...aged 14–15 have done things they’ve regretted

the next day because they’ve been drinking.

...aged 14–15 have done things they’ve regretted

the next day because they’ve been drinking.

in

1 in 8 girls

1 in 10 boys

the effects of alcohol

Drinking makes you more likely to be careless when it comes to sex so you may run the risk of not using protection. One in ten boys and around one in eight girls aged 15–16 have unsafe sex after drinking.

If you end up having unsafe sex, the consequences can last much longer than a night. In fact, you’re more than twice as likely to have an unwanted pregnancy if you’ve been drinking.

>2X

Is Alcohol Causing You Problems?

There’s a difference between sociable drinking and problem drinking. To check whether alcohol may be damaging you or someone you know, visit:wouldyou.direct.gov.uk/Stories.phpwww.drinkaware.co.uk/features/health/am-i-drinking-too-much-alcoholwww.thesite.org/drinkanddrugs/drinking/problems/dangerousdrinking

If you’re under 18 remember that it’s always healthiest not to drink alcohol at all.

Concerned About Someone’s Drinking?

Concerned about someone’s drinking? Worried that someone you know is drinking too much? It could be a member of your family, such as your mum or your dad. Or it could be a friend. For help and advice, visit:www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-and-you

morEinFormation

You can also contact us in the following ways:Telephone: 0870 000 2288Fax: 01928 794248

Phone lines are open 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.You can also write to the Department:Department for EducationCastle View House

East LaneRuncornCheshire WA7 2GJ