A slim majority of people think that the legal drinking age should be raised from 18 to 21 years, suggests an opinion poll conducted for BBC Newsnight.
The results of the ORB survey will be broadcast on Thursday (13 December) on BBC Two at 10.30pm. They form part of a Newsnight series looking at the impact of alcohol on Britain as the nation prepares for the run up to Christmas.
Plans include a broadcast of an update of Paul Watson’s award-winning documentary Rain In My Heart, a look at how the drink industry operates and a debate with leading figures from the drinks industry, the government, and the medical profession on the nature of Britain’s drink problem.
The results of the poll suggest that 51% agreed or strongly agreed with raising the legal drinking age as opposed to 47% who disagreed.
The poll suggests that it is women more than men who are in favour of the change – 57% would like the age raised as opposed to 42% who disagree.
However a majority of men are opposed to such a change with 53% against raising the age and 46% in favour.
A majority of those aged 18 to 24 are also opposed to a change in the law – 61% against and 39% in favour.
The poll suggests a majority of people think there should not be any alcohol adverts on the TV. When asked to agree or disagree with the statement “adverts for alcohol should be banned from television”, 56% agreed or strongly agreed with this statement with 43% disagreeing.
Only just over a quarter of people (26%) said “there is nothing wrong with this” when asked to give their reaction to the statement that in some supermarkets cans of beer are being sold for 22p.
The largest group (30%) felt that the supermarkets should act more responsibly and not do this but it is not for the government to prevent them.
Nearly a quarter of people (23%) thought the drink manufacturers should prevent beer being sold so cheaply.
Less than one fifth thought it was something the government should address. Seventeen per cent reacted to cans of beer being sold for 22p by saying the government should introduce minimum price restrictions to prevent them.
The people surveyed felt that alcohol causes the most widespread damage to families in Britain today.
Forty-four per cent blamed alcohol abuse, with 42% blaming hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Only a few thought that soft drugs such as cannabis (7%) or nicotine abuse (3%) caused the most widespread damage to families.
Finally when asked which of the following holds most responsibility for the problems of alcoholism and alcohol-related crime in this country a clear majority 53% felt that individuals themselves were most to blame.
Thirty-one per cent felt that poor parenting was to blame. Fewer than one in 10 felt that the drinks industry (8%) and the government (7%) were responsible.
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