Programme 2 - Activities

1. What do you think is an acceptable age to start drinking? How much is it safe to drink?
2. Do you think that alcopops make alcohol far more attractive to younger people?
3. What can be done to prevent young teenagers from drinking?
4. Have you ever been the victim of bullying? Discuss the effects this can have on people. Do you think that bullies have previously been victims of bullying themselves?
5. Maria says she knows where she is with her father. What do you think she means by that? Do you think she respects him?
6. Judith says that she brought Maria up to be independent. What do you think 'independent' means for Maria? What does it mean for you?
7. Judith says that she has to trust Maria and hope that she behaves herself and doesn't intimidate others; in that way she'll grow up sensibly. Do you agree with that?
Do you think there is anything more Judith could do to ensure a successful future for her daughter?
8. Discuss whether you agree or disagree with the following statements. Give reasons for your choice. Put a question mark against the ones that need most discussion.

• Maria will soon disband 'The Shazas'.
• Maria will eventually do well and become a barrister.
• Maria does not have a good relationship with her family.
• Maria should have been expelled from school.
• People should be fined for buying alcohol for under-age drinkers.
• It's okay for fourteen year olds to come home whenever they want at night.
• Binge drinking does not harm you because you're not drinking every day.
• Childhood is for fun and that includes doing what you like.
• Being successful at school makes you a target for bullies.

Men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol per week (and no more than four units in any one day).
Women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week (and no more than three units in any one day).
Pregnant women. If you have one or two drinks of alcohol (one or two units), once or twice a week, it is unlikely to harm your unborn baby. However, the exact amount that is safe is not known. So, many women have little or no alcohol when they are pregnant.

The more you drink above these limits, the greater the risk of developing serious problems such as liver disease.

What is a unit of alcohol?

One unit of alcohol is 10ml (1cl) by volume, or 8g by weight, of pure alcohol.

Three pints of beer, three times per week, is at least 18 units per week. That is nearly the upper weekly safe limit for a man. However, each drinking session of three pints is at least six units, which is more than the safe limit advised for any one day.

A 750ml bottle of 12% wine contains nine units. If you drink two bottles of 12% wine over a week, that is 18 units. This is above the upper safe limit for a woman. This information is from a leaflet published by Patient UK.