Sandwell pupils drinking too much booze
Hundreds of schoolchildren in Sandwell are drinking hazardous levels of alcohol every week.
More than 1,200 15 and 16-year-olds are drinking in excess of 11 units a week according to a new report.
The alarming figures were discussed by the Sandwell Health and Wellbeing Board which met yesterday and recommended to agree to the use what is known as the 'Lifecourse' approach to reducing alcohol related harm.
It will also be asked to agree that the borough's drug and alcohol partnership oversees further revisions and monitors the implementation and delivery of the strategy, and that the board is updated on progress within six months.
Alcohol has been identified as a priority issue to tackle due to Sandwell having rates significantly worse than the rest of England for alcohol attributable mortality and hospital admissions in both males and females.
According to a survey carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 20 per cent of Year 9 and 39 per cent of Year 11 children drink weekly.
Of those consuming alcohol in a week-long period, the levels of excessive drinking were surveyed and found that in Year 9, 39 per cent had consumed more than seven units and the same proportion had consumed 14 units or more in Year 11.
Based on those weekly drinking estimates, there are approximately 768 children in Sandwell aged 13 and 1,586 children aged 16 who have drank alcohol in the last week. Between the ages of 13 and 16 a total of 4,708 drank alcohol.
Of those, 606 children aged between 13 and 14 drank more than seven units and 1,230 children aged 15 to 16 drank more than 11 units of alcohol, therefore 1,836 children are hazardously drinking in Sandwell.
Dr Rajesh Panday, who is a consultant at Sandwell and City hospitals on alcohol abuse in children, said: "Obviously alcohol is a toxic substance, and if in that age group they are binge drinking it has implications for their liver and other health."
