Teenagers drink, there is nothing new there, but the amount they drink is coming down.

Constable Dave Trevethan used his section of the parents meeting at Ballakermeen High School to discuss the impact of alcohol on society.

PC Trevethan told those in attendance that while there is still problems with students in the island drinking, the success of the challenge 25 campaign, where anyone who appears under 25 is asked for ID, has coincided with a decrease in the amount of alcohol related incidents involving the island’s teenagers.

However, he revealed statistics that shocked some parents such as the number of deaths in England from liver disease rising by 400% since 1970. The average age of deaths is also higher, having risen to 54.

In regards to students and those under 25, PC Trevethan said that 20% of deaths in men aged 16 to 24 are alcohol related.

He added that while the evening was to ’talk with, not at parents’, it is vital the ’our young people are educated to drink sensibly’.

PC Trevethan said: ’During the December drink-drive campaign, we stopped 349 vehicles which resulted in 23 arrests, there were 14 in 2017, so maybe the lesson isn’t getting through.’

One modern trend that is having more of an impact on alcohol misuse is the rise of ’pre-drinking’ where people, particularly young people, drink at home while getting ready for an evening out.

He said that this is roughly 25% of young women who do this and about 20% of young men.

’Part of the problem here is that people pour their drinks and often are pouring doubles or more whereas the pubs and clubs serve set amounts, so they don’t know how much they’ve really being drinking’, PC Trevethan added.

He said: ’This isn’t about stopping people having fun, it is just about being safe, the more you drink, the more likely you are to be injured or even sexually assaulted, and that goes for men too.

’So look after yourself and your mates, even if that means calling the police to help someone who has drank too much.

’You’re not going to get yourselves or anyone else in trouble for seeking help, it is about making sure you and they are safe.’

In a message to politicians, PC Trevethan noted that he used to be part of a team of two sergeants and eight officers, now it is just him, but he added ’the force is doing the best with what we’ve got’.

Teenagers drink, there is nothing new there, but the amount they drink is coming down.

Constable Dave Trevethan used his section of the parents’ meeting at Ballakermeen to discuss the impact of alcohol on society.

PC Trevethan told those in attendance that while there is still problems with students in the island drinking, the success of the ’challenge 25’ campaign, where anyone who appears under 25 is asked for ID, has coincided with a decrease in the number of alcohol-related incidents involving the island’s teenagers.

However, he revealed statistics that shocked some parents such as the number of deaths in England from liver disease rising by 400% since 1970. The average age of deaths is also higher, having risen to 54.

In regards to students and those under 25, PC Trevethan said that 20% of deaths in men aged 16 to 24 are alcohol related.

He added that while the evening was to ’talk with, not at parents’, it is vital the ’our young people are educated to drink sensibly’.

PC Trevethan said: ’During the December drink-drive campaign, we stopped 349 vehicles which resulted in 23 arrests. There were 14 in 2017, so maybe the lesson isn’t getting through.’

One modern trend that is having more of an impact on alcohol misuse is the rise of ’pre-drinking’ where people, particularly young people, drink at home while getting ready for an evening out.

He said that roughly 25% of young women and about 20% of young men do this.

’Part of the problem with this is that people pour their own drinks and often are pouring doubles or more whereas the pubs and clubs serve set amounts, so they don’t know how much they’ve really being drinking’, PC Trevethan added.

’This isn’t about stopping people having fun, it is just about being safe, the more you drink, the more likely you are to be injured or even sexually assaulted, and that goes for men too.

’So look after yourself and your mates, even if that means calling the police to help someone who has drank too much.

’You’re not going to get yourselves or anyone else in trouble for seeking help, it is about making sure you and they are safe.’

In a message to politicians, PC Trevethan noted that he used to be part of a team of two sergeants and eight officers, now it is just him, but he added ’the force is doing the best with what we’ve got’.