The Welsh - Piss Artist Champions of the Western World

[davieG]

Drunks that is!

More young people in Wales have been drunk at least twice by the age of 13 than anywhere else in the western world, a survey has found.

The World Health Organisation survey of Europe and North America put Wales at the top of the list, ahead of Scotland, Estonia, England and Lithuania.

The health behaviour study questioned 250,000 11, 12 and 15-year-olds.

Children's Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler said the survey was a wake-up call for adults.

The survey, conducted in 2005-6 across 40 countries, looked at aspects of health, including drinking, weight, smoking, school pressures and bullying.

It found more 15-year-old girls in Wales had tried cannabis than anywhere else in Europe.

Among girls, one in five 11-year-olds in Wales are trying to lose weight, as are a quarter of 13-year-olds and nearly a third aged 15.

More than a third of 15-year-old girls and a quarter of 15-year-old boys in Wales say they tried smoking at 13 or younger, figures which are similar to Scotland but higher than England. The survey found children in England and Wales were under more pressure than almost every other country which took part.

Researchers said children in the UK rated their own health "poorly" compared to other countries, and found it harder to talk to their parents.

A spokesperson for the chief medical officer for Wales, Tony Jewell, said: "Reports with a global outlook, such as this, play a vital role in highlighting key health matters that occur here in Wales and support the minister and officials to tailor effective policy to tackle such issues.

"Reducing the underage consumption of alcohol is a key priority in Wales.

"The increasing culture of binge drinking in Wales' youngsters leads to greater risk of injury, unsafe sex, and serious health issues in later life that will inevitably put greater pressure on the NHS.

"The Welsh Assembly Government launched a 10-year substance misuse strategy in February. By 2010-11, £27m a year will be funded to the strategy which will place a significant focus on the inappropriate and risky use of alcohol, instances of which are higher in Wales than most other countries, although less so than in recent years." But Mr Towler said the emphasis now had to be on putting the policies into practice.

"I was at the United Nations committee last week on the rights of the child and we talked about how good some of the policies and strategies are that we have in place particularly in Wales and through the Welsh Assembly Government," he said.

"But we really still are not seeing implementation of these strategies on the ground."

Mr Towler also said the survey also highlighted problems with the availability of services for children and young people in Wales.

He was also critical about the way alcohol was marketed and he called on adults to set a better example.

"The whole of our culture is based on drinking," he said. "As adults we have got to think of our responsibilities to children and what example we are setting."

Kathryn Allen from Promo Cymru, which is a social enterprise and youth development organisation, said that having a drink was often cheaper for young people and children than going to the cinema in the evening.

"There are pubs on every corner, there are shops everywhere selling cheap alcohol and we have the issues with binge drinking. This is a society issue," she said.

[Dr The Singh]

Drunks that is!

More young people in Wales have been drunk at least twice by the age of 13 than anywhere else in the western world, a survey has found.

The World Health Organisation survey of Europe and North America put Wales at the top of the list, ahead of Scotland, Estonia, England and Lithuania.

The health behaviour study questioned 250,000 11, 12 and 15-year-olds.

Children's Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler said the survey was a wake-up call for adults.

The survey, conducted in 2005-6 across 40 countries, looked at aspects of health, including drinking, weight, smoking, school pressures and bullying.

It found more 15-year-old girls in Wales had tried cannabis than anywhere else in Europe.

Among girls, one in five 11-year-olds in Wales are trying to lose weight, as are a quarter of 13-year-olds and nearly a third aged 15.

More than a third of 15-year-old girls and a quarter of 15-year-old boys in Wales say they tried smoking at 13 or younger, figures which are similar to Scotland but higher than England. The survey found children in England and Wales were under more pressure than almost every other country which took part.

Researchers said children in the UK rated their own health "poorly" compared to other countries, and found it harder to talk to their parents.

A spokesperson for the chief medical officer for Wales, Tony Jewell, said: "Reports with a global outlook, such as this, play a vital role in highlighting key health matters that occur here in Wales and support the minister and officials to tailor effective policy to tackle such issues.

"Reducing the underage consumption of alcohol is a key priority in Wales.

"The increasing culture of binge drinking in Wales' youngsters leads to greater risk of injury, unsafe sex, and serious health issues in later life that will inevitably put greater pressure on the NHS.

"The Welsh Assembly Government launched a 10-year substance misuse strategy in February. By 2010-11, £27m a year will be funded to the strategy which will place a significant focus on the inappropriate and risky use of alcohol, instances of which are higher in Wales than most other countries, although less so than in recent years." But Mr Towler said the emphasis now had to be on putting the policies into practice.

"I was at the United Nations committee last week on the rights of the child and we talked about how good some of the policies and strategies are that we have in place particularly in Wales and through the Welsh Assembly Government," he said.

"But we really still are not seeing implementation of these strategies on the ground."

Mr Towler also said the survey also highlighted problems with the availability of services for children and young people in Wales.

He was also critical about the way alcohol was marketed and he called on adults to set a better example.

"The whole of our culture is based on drinking," he said. "As adults we have got to think of our responsibilities to children and what example we are setting."

Kathryn Allen from Promo Cymru, which is a social enterprise and youth development organisation, said that having a drink was often cheaper for young people and children than going to the cinema in the evening.

"There are pubs on every corner, there are shops everywhere selling cheap alcohol and we have the issues with binge drinking. This is a society issue," she said.

What went wrong with Finners then, the guys not the biggest of drinkers!!!!!

[Finnegan]

:cool:

We've always, always had a strong pub and drinking culture, to be honest. People talk fondly about the Irish and beer but the image of a bunch of Welsh miners packed into some grotty village pub is far more vivid imo.

This reflects the modernization of an aged culture, really. Children in "the West" strive to be more and more adult daily and when you consider the generation these kids are impersonating in their efforts to be "grown up", the statistics are hardly surprising.

What went wrong with Finners then, the guys not the biggest of drinkers!!!!

With all due respect, you didn't go to uni with me.

[Dr The Singh]

:cool:

We've always, always had a strong pub and drinking culture, to be honest. People talk fondly about the Irish and beer but the image of a bunch of Welsh miners packed into some grotty village pub is far more vivid imo.

This reflects the modernization of an aged culture, really. Children in "the West" strive to be more and more adult daily and when you consider the generation these kids are impersonating in their efforts to be "grown up", the statistics are hardly surprising.

With all due respect, you didn't go to uni with me.

It's just an observation mate, I probably haven't seen the best of your drinking abilities, but i'm sure you could drink me under the table!!!!

[Finnegan]

Don't think it would surprise anyone who's seen my physique that it doesn't take tanker loads of alcohol to get me mullered. My problem (in many things ) is a lack of self control, though. Stopping once I've properly started has always been a problem, I used to make myself frequently, horribly ill over the last few years.

I don't really drink a lot anymore, save for special occasions. My labouring, 20 minute showing at the Talking Balls game was the result of one such outing, heh.

Not that this particularly has anything to do with being Welsh, mind.

[Thracian]

Drunks that is!

More young people in Wales have been drunk at least twice by the age of 13 than anywhere else in the western world, a survey has found.

The World Health Organisation survey of Europe and North America put Wales at the top of the list, ahead of Scotland, Estonia, England and Lithuania.

The health behaviour study questioned 250,000 11, 12 and 15-year-olds.

Children's Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler said the survey was a wake-up call for adults.

The survey, conducted in 2005-6 across 40 countries, looked at aspects of health, including drinking, weight, smoking, school pressures and bullying.

It found more 15-year-old girls in Wales had tried cannabis than anywhere else in Europe.

Among girls, one in five 11-year-olds in Wales are trying to lose weight, as are a quarter of 13-year-olds and nearly a third aged 15.

More than a third of 15-year-old girls and a quarter of 15-year-old boys in Wales say they tried smoking at 13 or younger, figures which are similar to Scotland but higher than England. The survey found children in England and Wales were under more pressure than almost every other country which took part.

Researchers said children in the UK rated their own health "poorly" compared to other countries, and found it harder to talk to their parents.

A spokesperson for the chief medical officer for Wales, Tony Jewell, said: "Reports with a global outlook, such as this, play a vital role in highlighting key health matters that occur here in Wales and support the minister and officials to tailor effective policy to tackle such issues.

"Reducing the underage consumption of alcohol is a key priority in Wales.

"The increasing culture of binge drinking in Wales' youngsters leads to greater risk of injury, unsafe sex, and serious health issues in later life that will inevitably put greater pressure on the NHS.

"The Welsh Assembly Government launched a 10-year substance misuse strategy in February. By 2010-11, £27m a year will be funded to the strategy which will place a significant focus on the inappropriate and risky use of alcohol, instances of which are higher in Wales than most other countries, although less so than in recent years." But Mr Towler said the emphasis now had to be on putting the policies into practice.

"I was at the United Nations committee last week on the rights of the child and we talked about how good some of the policies and strategies are that we have in place particularly in Wales and through the Welsh Assembly Government," he said.

"But we really still are not seeing implementation of these strategies on the ground."

Mr Towler also said the survey also highlighted problems with the availability of services for children and young people in Wales.

He was also critical about the way alcohol was marketed and he called on adults to set a better example.

"The whole of our culture is based on drinking," he said. "As adults we have got to think of our responsibilities to children and what example we are setting."

Kathryn Allen from Promo Cymru, which is a social enterprise and youth development organisation, said that having a drink was often cheaper for young people and children than going to the cinema in the evening.

"There are pubs on every corner, there are shops everywhere selling cheap alcohol and we have the issues with binge drinking. This is a society issue," she said.

Don't know how they do it. Seemed like Wales was closed after 9.00pm when I went.

I'll never forget going to the cinema in Colwyn Bay one October. We got there at 6.45 for a 7.00 start and there were just two other people in the place, sitting in the back row.

At 6.58 they got up and walked out of a door beside them. Turns out they were the projectionists!

Afterwards we travelled miles in search of a meal but everywhere was shut.

Perhaps explained why Welsh sheep looked so nervous all the time, even in the fields!

No wonder the Romans went home.

[Finnegan]

You were in Conwy, what were you expecting, the bright lights of Vegas?

Besides, in that part of the world they don't let the English find the decent pubs.

[Number 6]

I got some right dirty looks when in Cardiff. Do Welsh people have an Englishdar?

[Finnegan]

I got some right dirty looks when in Cardiff. Do Welsh people have an Englishdar?

Yes, it's called your accent.

Cardiff's quite a bad one for it, I get it too.

[Number 6]

Yes, it's called your accent.

Cardiff's quite a bad one for it, I get it too.

It wasn't when speaking to people though. Maybe they just all hate each other in Cardiff.

[Finnegan]

It wasn't when speaking to people though. Maybe they just all hate each other in Cardiff.

Then it was the other thing, it's called paranoia.

[davieG]

I'm off to Wales on Monday to near Laugharne, just west of Carmarthen for 4 days should I be worried and what's it like apart from being isolated.

[Finnegan]

I'm off to Wales on Monday to near Laugharne, just west of Carmarthen for 4 days should I be worried and what's it like apart from being isolated.

Touristy, you'll be fine. It's not really in people's best interests to annoy the tourists. Really, really lovely village - the boathouse is a good hour or two's entertainment but beyond that it's very sleepy, quiet. My aunt used to have a caravan pretty much permanently parked about ten minutes from the village center.

There's a pub right by the estuary front that used to do absolutely fooking amazing food, but I can't for the life of me remember what it's called.

As for Carmarthen, despite being born there I've only really been there once in my adult life. Bit more scenic than, but about the size of Loughborough.

[hairy]

I must admit that if I was Welsh I would have to get drunk a lot more often.

[act smiley]

As for Carmarthen, despite being born there I've only really been there once in my adult life. Bit more scenic than, but about the size of Loughborough.

Its a nice enough place, but its certainly a fair bit smaller than Lougborough.

[davieG]

Its a nice enough place, but its certainly a fair bit smaller than Lougborough.

Thanks for the info, sounds like 4 days including travel will be sufficient then.

[Finnegan]

Thanks for the info, sounds like 4 days including travel will be sufficient then.

Yeah I'd have thought so. If the weather's nice you and Mrs. DavieG will probably be able to occupy yourself just getting a healthy dose of estuary air, tbh.

Very relaxing place.

[The Reverend]

Don't know how they do it. Seemed like Wales was closed after 9.00pm when I went.

I'll never forget going to the cinema in Colwyn Bay one October. We got there at 6.45 for a 7.00 start and there were just two other people in the place, sitting in the back row.

At 6.58 they got up and walked out of a door beside them. Turns out they were the projectionists!

Afterwards we travelled miles in search of a meal but everywhere was shut.

Perhaps explained why Welsh sheep looked so nervous all the time, even in the fields!

No wonder the Romans went home.

lol

You cant say that!

[Thracian]

You were in Conwy, what were you expecting, the bright lights of Vegas?

Besides, in that part of the world they don't let the English find the decent pubs.

Colwyn Bay's a good walk from the castled delight that is Conwy!

We had a caravan on the Morfa site at Conwy for years which I'll never forget cos I used to train by running up the mountain opposite - at least it looked like a mountain but it might have been a hill according to Hugh Grant!

I wasn't old enough for pubs at that time (being 9-12 years old, and not being Welsh) but on countless visits in later years - the North coast was part of a fortnightly antiques run of mine - I found the countryside far more memorable than the watering houses. Now I know why!

[Finnegan]

I meant Conwy as in the area, it's pretty much all like that.

[davieG]

I'm off to Laugharne in about an hour or so. See you all on Thursday/Friday by which time I expect we''l have a whole now back room staff and an exchange of half a dozen players.