Underage Drinking Getting Worse

There have been a deluge of reports recently about underage drinking.

All lament the consequences and long term impact to health ... and ultimately to society. Officials scurry to impose tougher restrictions on irresponsible retailing, or to authorize the confiscation of alcohol on streets.

Experts postulate. Politicians pontificate. The media stirs the brew with relentless vigor.

Kids are interviewed and the one common thread is that they could care less. If there's a party going down, they want to be there. If they can't access booze directly, they'll just get someone of legal age to do their bidding for them.

It's hardly a logistical hiccup!

They're bored and jaded. Besides their parents drink too. So it would be hypocritical for them to attempt to intervene.

Not that they would. Most think it is not really that serious. Someone elses' mess.

The NHS picks up the tab. The law enforcement agents buffer the abuse. And in the morning they sleep it off and hopefully haven't drowned in their own vomit.

People shake their heads and wonder why something more definitive can't be done.

Maybe we could remove the branding like the cigarette companies are being forced to. No ... drinking can't be as serious as smoking. Everyone knows that smoking is "bad" for you.

But drinking, well that's different. It's more ... social. Everybody does it! Come on. Lighten up man.

Get a sense of humor, why don't you.

This, my friends, is why the problem will continue to persist. Because of the universal hypocricy of everybody in the equation.

Heavier taxes, lip service and neutral branding will make no real impact ... other than to annoy and further alienate a giant segment of the population.

While we continue to treat young people like a separate species, incapable of responsible discretion ... they will continue not to disappoint.

Getting real is the first step.