The recent focus given by the MPs Liam Byrne and Jonathan Ashworth to the plight of children and families of alcoholics has shed a welcome light on an important question – how best do we support individuals and families affected by substance misuse?
However, the use of exaggerated numbers to support the cause is misleading and unhelpful. Recent reports, including the Guardian’s (16 February) claimed 2.5 million children live with an alcoholic parent. Yet according to the references provided this is in fact untrue by a factor of more than three. The reference by an all-party parliamentary group on the children of alcoholics to a report by the Children’s Commissioner leads to data on hazardous drinking, not alcohol dependency. These are very different things – and it clearly states there are 700,000 children of dependent drinkers, not 2.5 million.
The reference also cites a report written in 2012 that relies on a study published in 2009 that no doubt used even older data. It ignores the fact that over the past 13 years alcohol consumption per head in the UK has fallen, harmful and binge drinking is down, and young people drink less than ever. UK society is becoming ever more moderate and abstemious. It would be far better to have a debate that is honest and balanced, not out of date, inaccurate or misleading.
Dave Roberts
Director general, Alcohol Information Partnership
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