Young people are being targeted in the campaign

Wales has some of the most alarming figures in Europe for alcohol abuse, according to research by the World Health Organisation (WHO) last year.

The new drive is the work of BBC Wales, and the Welsh Assembly Government.

The Thinking about Drinking campaign includes six short films for teachers and youth workers.

WHO research from 2004 revealed that over a quarter of 13-year-olds in Wales admit to having been drunk two or more times, a figure that rises to nearly 66% of 15-year-olds.

It is vital that we drive home the central messages of the campaign to this younger audience Eleri Wyn Lewis

The pack, which also features bilingual posters, is designed to help young people make informed decisions for themselves.

A recent BBC Wales TV campaign, called RSOD, aimed at curbing binge drinking and anti-social behaviour among young people in Wales.

It focussed on the growing problem of Risky Single Occasion Drinking - recent statistics showed that, in the 16-24 age group, 36% of men and 27% of women binge-drink at least once a week.

Early start

The Thinking about Drinking information pack will be distributed to schools, colleges, youth centres and other interested organisations in Wales.

"Research suggests that the earlier a person begins drinking alcohol, the more likely he or she is to establish a lifestyle pattern that includes drinking," said Eleri Wyn Lewis, the head of education and learning at BBC Wales.

"It is vital that we drive home the central messages of the campaign to this younger audience using language and images that they will relate to."

The campaign was unveiled at an event in Butetown area of Cardiff on Wednesday and was followed by a brief training session on how best to use it.