UK: Police chief calls for UK drinking age to be raised

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 15 August 2007

A police chief has called for the legal drinking age to be raised due to a prevalence of anti-social behaviour and violence among teenage drinkers across the UK.

Cheshire chief constable Peter Fahy, cited on the BBC website today (15 August), said: "Alcohol is too cheap and too readily available and is too strong. Young people cannot handle it."

Fahy decided to appeal for the legal drinking age to move from 18 to 21 after three youths were charged with the murder of a father-of-three who approached them while they were out drinking.

The chief constable said that most parents abdicated responsibility and need to have a "sense of social responsibility" as must people who sell alcohol to young people, or "those who promote alcohol as glamorous."

Fahy added: "We are doing everything we can, within our resources and powers, but it is not enough," he said.

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