Buying drink for kids can end in a fine or jail

Foyle Off Sales Forum and Drink Think launched the campaign on Monday. The campaign will be advertised on billboards throughout the city.

Posters will also be displayed in off sales premises to inform customers, which is accompanied with an information leaflet with further information.

Joanne Smith, Manager of Drink Think Project said: “One way of attempting to reduce underage drinking is to try and prevent children getting alcohol in the first instance.

“Young people can be very creative when looking to get alcohol and we hope this campaign will be effective in significantly reducing one point of access for young people.

“It is crucial that we support off sales staff in this process as it takes a great deal of vigilance, confidence and professionalism to effectively deal with this situation and refuse a sale of alcohol to an adult.”

Karen Phillips, Senior Environmental Health Officer from Derry City Council said: “As programme manager for the Civic Alcohol Forum I strongly welcomes this initiative.

“The forum has developed a Partnership working group to Challenge Underage Drinking in the Rosemount area, and one of the key aims of the partnership is to reduce proxy purchasing and general supply of alcohol to minors.

“The initiative will hopefully raise public awareness in relation to this issue and contribute toward the change in mindset required to ensure that a clean, safe and vibrant region with a responsible attitude to alcohol that protects future generations from alcohol related harm is achieved.”

Local research and anecdotal evidence suggests young people may approach adults to purchase alcohol for them.

This poses a difficult challenge for off sales staff as the person in front of them may be able to show proof of age and it can be difficult knowing if the purchase is for themselves or for a minor.

The proxy purchasing campaign is being launched to raise awareness among the general public that they have a duty of care not to supply alcohol to minors but also that they are committing an offence if they do so and could be fined up to £5000 or face 6 months in prison.

For more information or to get involved in the campaign, contact Drink Think on 02871363925 or log onto www.drinkthinkproject.org.