Health team says fewer youngsters drinking alcohol
BBCYoung people are drinking less alcohol, according to a city's public health team.
In 2023, Sunderland City Council launched its Time to Rethink Drink strategy which aims to tackle the harms caused by alcohol across the city.
Updating officials about the scheme, Sarah Norman from the authority's public health and wellbeing team, said her department had "definitely seen a reduction in alcohol consumption amongst young people".
She said it mirrored a cultural change across the country in how alcohol was consumed and how drinking was viewed.
"There has been a massive increase in no and low alcohol sales as well and I think it's amongst that generation a lot," Norman said.
The council heard how there had also been a reduction in under-18 hospital admissions for alcohol-related issues, as well as fewer drink-related deaths, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
However, the health and wellbeing team said Sunderland still experienced higher levels of alcohol harm compared to other areas of the country, which was something staff were working "really hard to address".
Time to Rethink Drink aims to reduce alcohol harm through a number of objectives, including prevention and early intervention, protecting young people and promoting quality treatment and recovery systems.
The city's alcohol strategy also includes reducing the availability of cheap alcohol and promoting its responsible sale.
