The punishment for underage drinking can be severe.
Teens who drink can put themselves at risk of breaking the law. It's illegal if you're underage and you could get arrested.
Teens who drink are also more likely to get into fights and commit crimes.
The law can be complicated about alcohol so it is worth knowing what you can and can't do. The general laws are:
Under 5
- It’s illegal to give an alcoholic drink to a child under 5
Age 5 and up
- You may drink alcohol at home with adult supervision
Age 14
- You can go to a pub which has a children's certificate, but you can't buy or drink alcohol.
- You are not allowed to buy liqueur chocolates
Age 16
- You can drink wine, beer or cider with a meal in a restaurant if you are accompanied by someone who is 18 or over
- You can go anywhere in a pub but can't drink alcohol.
Age 18
- You can buy alcohol, but not for anyone else under 18
Police officers are allowed to confiscate alcohol from anyone under 18 who are drinking it in a public place, like in the street or local park.
Alcohol-related crime costs society around £7 billion each year, think about where that money could be going...
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