Police in Haverfordwest are taking a firm stance against underage drinking in the town. Haverfordwest is a busy town on weekends with several nightclubs being able to hold several hundred people, and with that comes the associated risks of persons drinking excessively. From time to time it is important to remind people of the law on drinking whilst under the age of 18, as underage drinking seriously damages the health of young people, creates problems in our communities and encourages anti-social behaviour. If you’re under 18, it is against the law: for someone to sell you alcohol; to buy or try to buy alcohol; for an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol for you; to drink alcohol in licensed premises (eg a pub or restaurant).

If you’re under 18 and drinking alcohol in public, you can be stopped, fined or arrested. However if you’re 16 or 17 and accompanied by an adult, you can legally drink (but not buy) beer, wine or cider with a meal in a pub or restaurant.

If the police suspect someone under 18 has alcohol in a public place they have the power to confiscate it, and if young people are caught with alcohol they could face a fine or arrest. Getting a criminal record can affect future job prospects and make it more difficult to travel to countries like the USA.

Sergeant Mike Llewellyn from Haverfordwest Police Station said: “Alcohol can be dangerous to health and have serious effects on developing brains and bodies. Binge drinking and heavy alcohol use puts young people at risk and in vulnerable situations. Dyfed-Powys Police strives to make our communities safer places to live and work, protect the vulnerable and safeguard our young people. Officers can confiscate alcohol from someone, no matter what their age, if they believe it has been, or will be drunk by someone under 18 in a public place, and will be making contact with parents and guardians of children who are in town and are in an intoxicated state.”

Ashley Gould, Consultant in Public Health and Lead for Alcohol and Substance Misuse at Public Health Wales added: “People who begin drinking at an early age are more likely to have problems linked to their alcohol use. We know that alcohol is related to a wide range of health and social problems. It can also harm young people’s growth and development. This is why the Chief Medical Officer recommends that people under the age of 18 should only drink with the supervision of their parent or carer and children under 15 should not drink at all.”