Be safe, always stay in control.
The affects
Many people drink alcohol because it helps them to relax and to be more sociable. It can also cause people to act differently and lose control.
Alcohol can make you aggressive and violent. You might consider doing things that you would never do when you were sober. Many crimes are committed when people have been drinking alcohol including anti-social behavior, causing damage, stealing or being violent. It can also make you argue with your friends and family.
Too much alcohol can make you very ill and cause you to be in hospital. Regularly drinking too much can affect your long term health.
A warning
If someone you have recently met continually offers to buy alcohol for you, or provides you with alcohol, ask yourself what they would have to gain if you became more relaxed and easily persuaded.
The law is clear...
- It’s illegal to give alcohol to children under 5.
- You must be 18 to buy alcohol.
- It is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone who is under the age of 18.
You can be stopped, fined or arrested by police if you’re under 18 and drinking alcohol in public.
If you’re under 18, it is against the law:
- for someone to sell you alcohol
- to buy or try to buy alcohol
- for an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol for you
- to drink alcohol in licensed premises (eg a pub or restaurant)
If you’re 16 or 17 and accompanied by an adult, you can drink (but not buy) beer, wine or cider with a meal.
If you’re 16 or under, you may be able to go to a pub (or premises primarily used to sell alcohol) if you’re accompanied by an adult. However, this isn’t always the case. It can also depend on the specific conditions for that premises.
Information taken from the gov.uk site
Working in a bar / restaurant under 18
You can serve alcohol in a restaurant if you’re 16 or 17 as long as the alcohol is drunk with a meal. You can also serve alcohol in a bar, but the licence holder or bar manager needs to approve the sale.