British charity teaches kids how to handle drunk friends

A British charity launched a campaign to teach schoolchildren how to look after drunk friends, after a survey found significant numbers have had to cope with injured or unconscious peers.

The British Red Cross said the campaign would target children aged 11 to 16 to help them better cope in any emergency, but particularly in incidents involving alcohol, by teaching them life-saving first aid skills. A survey by the charity showed Britain’s binge drinking culture was spreading to children, with 14 per cent of respondents aged 11 to 16 having been in an emergency situation because of a friend over-consuming alcohol.

In the past year, more than one in 10 had been left to cope with a drunk friend who was sick, injured or unconscious.

Half of these had to deal with a friend who had passed out, and a quarter with a friend who had been hurt while in a drunken fight.