Binge-drinking warning on A-Level results day

NHS Sussex is calling for parents to be aware of what their children are doing to celebrate and to warn them of the dangers of underage drinking, too much alcohol, and especially of the serious danger of combining drink with drugs.

Sue Carmichael, Public health lead for Alcohol on behalf of NHS Sussex, said: “Lots of young people will want to mark the end of their exams with a celebration and we hope they do, but what we want to avoid is young people putting themselves at risk of harm because of how they celebrate.

“Young people being admitted to A&E because they have consumed too much alcohol, or getting into a fight after too much drink is not how the majority of young people would want to celebrate. Yet that is what can happen.”

A study by Drinkaware at exam results time last year, showed that more than a third of parents said they would prefer their children to get alcohol from them rather than an unknown source, and a fifth said they bought alcohol for their children so they could keep track of how much they drank.

However a third of parents of 16 and 17-year-olds said they have no idea what their child gets up to when they are drinking.