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New weapon in fight against underage drinking

A chemically-treated white litmus strip which turns blue when they come into contact with alcohol is the latest weapon being used in the fight against underage drinking in County Durham.Durham police will use the strips when patrolling areas where it is claimed that only soft drinks are being consumed. Any alcohol discovered will be confiscated or disposed of, usually by pouring the contents of bottles and cans down the nearest drain.Officers from the south area licensing unit heard about the idea from Greater Manchester Police. They secured funding worth £500 from the Home Office’s ongoing AMEC (Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaign) initiative to pay for the strips, which have been supplied by a Nottinghamshire-based firm and conducted a pilot scheme in and around Darlington.PC Steve Brown, a member of the south area licensing unit, said: “We found the strips worked very well, especially in outdoor situations where young people claimed all they were drinking was cola, lemonade or some other soft drink. But as soon as officers produced the strips they changed their tune and came clean. “The litmus test should prove a useful deterrent to youngsters drinking in public and causing problems as a result. We may also use them to make spot checks on licensed premises suspected of selling alcohol to those under 18. “This tactic will also help provide useful, additional information on which areas may have a particular problem.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .