Authorities target adults who buy booze for kids

4:25pm Sunday 20th July 2008

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A HARD-HITTING campaign has been launched to discourage adults from buying booze for underage drinkers in the Cotswolds.

Cotswold District Council has launched the Don't Buy for Under 18s campaign in partnership with Gloucestershire Constabulary and retailers.

The campaign will raise awareness of the problem by highlighting the dangers of underage drinking, health risks for teenagers and penalties adults face if caught.

Retailers will highlight these dangers by introducing related posters, badges and shelf-edge labelling in their stores.

They will also give retail staff extra training and make regular public-address system announcements, from 6pm onwards, informing shoppers of the issue.

In schools, there will be posters, newsletters and websites warning pupils of the risks involved with adults buying alcohol for them and the consequences of underage and binge drinking.

These messages will be reinforced at parents' evenings.

Among other organisations involved are the Youth Service, Trading Standards and businesses.

The Gloucestershire Drug and Alcohol Service (GDAS) charity and GINI, part of the Young People's Substance Misuse Service, will give advice and support.

Launched in Tetbury's Tesco store, the campaign will be rolled out to all Cotswold market towns later this year.

Cllr Clive Bennett, the council's Safe and Strong Communities portfolio holder, said: "This is an excellent programme and I commend the stance that Tesco are taking very highly.

"It is common knowledge that under-age drinking is very bad for youngsters' health.

"Anyone who gets involved in binge drinking can also get involved in anti-social behaviour.

"I would hope that all the other supermarkets and alcohol outlets would follow suit and also take this stance."

Home Office statistics reveal 88 per cent of criminal damage and 46 per cent of violent offences are caused under the influence of alcohol, while 70 per cent of overnight and weekend admissions to hospital accident and emergency departments are alcohol related.

For further information or advice, telephone the council's Community Safety team on 01285 623000 or visit its website at www.cotswold.gov.uk