When we go to Secondary School we experience a lot of changes in our lives; we meet new people, make new friends, make different choices and experience different things. However, at times, the choices we will have to make or experiences we will have to face may be very difficult, therefore, we must stay strong, independent and individual. This means that we must have the courage to say NO to underage drinking!

Your so called ‘friends’ will try to encourage you to drink alcohol for ‘fun’, however, many of your friends are unaware of the dangers and potential risks to our health as a result of drinking alcohol at a young age. Below, Dr Alan Mc Kinney informs us of the potential risks to our health as a result of underage drinking.

Q – What are your concerns about underage drinking?
A – My main concern is that most of our young people are uneducated about alcohol and therefore, unaware of the potential dangers to their health as a result of drinking at a young age.

Q – What kind of dangers are you talking about?
A – Well, first of all, there are the short-term effects of drinking too much alcohol which are vomiting, headaches or physical injuries as a result of an accident or aggressive behaviour; then you have the long-term effects which could lead to heart disease, diabeties, blood pressure, kidney or liver problems etc..

Q – What advice would you give to children who are thinking about drinking at a young age?
A – Children must choose their friends wisely, and educate themselves about all potential dangers associated with the consumption of alcohol to ensure they do not end up addicted to a drug that could potentially be lethal!

- Vulnerable to attacks
- Pressure to participate in some form of anti-social behaviour
- Progression on to hard drugs
- Punishment by the law