Know It

It is illegal to sell alcohol to under-18s (unless they’re 16 or 17 and having a meal in a restaurant.
Police have the legal power to confiscate alcohol from anyone they know to be, or reasonably believe to be, under 18 drinking in a public place.
Alcoholic drinks come in different strengths, measured as a % by volume. The higher the % marked on the label the stronger the drink will be.
Alcopops often contain more alcohol than many beers.

The Effects

Many people enjoy drinking alcohol to escape from their problems.
Some people use alcohol to escape form their problems.
The effect depends on the strength of the drink and how fast it is consumed.
It also varies according to when a person last ate, and how fast is it consumed.
Speech can become slurred, co-ordination affected and emotions heightened.
It also varies according to when a person last ate, and their weight, mood and surroundings.
A hangover (the after-effects of alcohol) can leave you feeling ill for a day or so.

Alcohol is a depressant drug. Users can end up feeling very down.
Women get more drunk than men on the same amount of alcohol. They can also develop drink-related health problems earlier.
Overdose (drinking far too much) can lead to loss of consciousness. Users then risk choking on their own vomit. This can kill.
Overdose can also cause alcoholic poisoning, which can be fatal.
Long-term over-use can lead to serious liver, heart and stomach problems.
More than 25,000 deaths in the UK each year are alcohol-related
Mixing alcohol with other drugs is SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS