The UK is known for its high number of alcoholics. It is logical that if adults drink, teenagers drink too. The country allows children to drink from the age of five, in private areas, and from sixteen in a public place. Although the law was passed earlier, some people think it shouldn't be legal for such young children to drink. The legal age for drinking alcohol should be at least 18 years old, because children that young are still developing and alcohol has many negative effects on the body. Many British teenagers have been exposed to alcohol, but it is having a very negative impact on their overall health. British teenagers are the fifth most likely group in Europe to admit to drinking excessively. British girls are the biggest drinkers in Europe, while boys are in third place, behind Malta and Latvia. This increase in consumption has been attributed to more cases of liver disease, which costs the NHS more than €1 billion a year (telegraph.co.uk). “The statistics, based on a 2007 report from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs, showed that 55% of girls in the UK had five or more drinks at least once a month” (telegraph.co.uk ). Why should the government continue to allow these bad habits, which lead to countless deaths and millions of alcoholics across the country? The government gets revenue from liquor sales, which would explain why they don't just try to stop teenagers from drinking. Instead of worrying about how fat their wallets are, government officials should focus more on the well-being of Britain's future, which is the new generation. When teenagers resort to finding new ways to consume alcohol, such as smoking it, something needs… middle of paper… alcohol poisoning. People will always have different opinions on topics, but the legal drinking age in the UK should be raised. Works Cited www.centurycouncil.com. CenturyCouncil. Network. November 13, 2013.Daily Mail Reporter. www.dailymail.co.uk. Post online. 7 September 2013. Web. 12 November 2013. www.drinkingmap.com. Drinking map. Network. 8 November 2013. www.gov.uk. Gov.uk. 8 November 2013. Web. 13 November 2013. www.ias.org.uk. IAS. Network. 12 November 2013. www.news.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. April 27, 2007. Web. November 13, 2013. www.online.wsj.com. WSJ. April 8, 2010. Web. November 12, 2013, www.presstv.com. PressTV. 3 March 2012. Web. 12 November 2013. www.telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph. 2 July 2012. Web. 12 November 2013. www.thetimes.co.uk. The times. April 2, 2013. Web. November 13 2013.