The Wine and Spirit Trade Association calls for more alcohol education

Responding to the Department for Schools, Children and Families consultation, Drugs: Guidance for Schools, which closes today, the WSTA says more emphasis is needed on alcohol education in schools at an earlier age. It says that schools should be encouraged to use social norming techniques and involve parents and agencies such as the Police, NHS and charities to help communicate the risks of alcohol misuse effectively to young people. WSTA chief executive Jeremy Beadles said: "Evidence from programmes here, and overseas, shows that when education is provided at the right age and in the right way it can change thinking and have an influence on future patterns of behaviour. "The Government has acknowledged the need for more education about alcohol and we believe it must be prioritised within the curriculum. "But schools should also be encouraged to build on best practice elsewhere and involve parents and other agencies as a way of developing responsible attitudes to alcohol."