Date: 01 June 2009 BROCKLEBANK: SERIOUS CONCERNS OVER NUMBER OF CHILDREN BEING TREATED FOR ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN FIFE Reports yesterday indicate that Fife has 153 young people being treated for alcohol addiction – the highest of any area in Scotland. Throughout the country there are 1564 children being treated for a drink problem which is double the number treated in 2006. Commenting, Ted Brocklebank, Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said;
“This news is extremely worrying for the Kingdom. Fife has the largest number of children being treated for alcohol addiction in Scotland, with children as young as eleven receiving help. Over the past three years we have seen a huge increase in the number of children addicted to alcohol and this is surely set to continue if greater efforts are not made to combat the problem.
“Alcohol is too easily accessible for our children and we must use existing laws to crack down on those who sell alcohol to underage buyers, as well as targeting problem drinks and problem drinkers. I would like to see the creation of local partnerships to coordinate the police, schools, supermarkets and alcohol groups. This would enable them to work together to create and implement community alcohol action plans.
“The problem also indicates the extent of our broken society, particularly highlighting the urgent need to improve parenting. According to official sources, we are now seeing, in some cases, the third generation of adults with no parenting skills, which can only exacerbate the prevalence of child alcoholism. I believe better parenting is vital in addressing this issue and Scottish Conservatives have placed this very high on our agenda.”
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