Legal Age for Alcohol

[Matheous-2]

Someone today told me it is legal in the UK for children of SIX years old upwards to be given alcohol in their parents home!!!! Can anyone verify this?

[hc4361]

It's true.

[sherrardk]

I thought it was 5 years and older (not that I do).

[hc4361]

Under five years old

It is illegal to give an alcoholic drink to a child under five except under medical supervision in an emergency.


http://webarchive.nat...riedAbout/DG_10026210

[Count-A-Strong]

Very easy to google
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6598867.stm

[hc4361]

It used to be common to rub whisky or brandy on to the gums of teething babies, or put a wee nip in the bottle at bed time.
I'm not saying it's right, but it used to happen.

[sherrardk]

Found this - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7805793.stm

[Invictas]

My Mother used to put brandy on my Brother's dummy!

[scotman]

I once heard my mother recommending similar practice to someone she knew for baby who wouldn't settle at night.

[sandyRoe]

Wasn't there alcohol in 'Gripe water'? Do they still make that?

[NazNomad]

The alcohol was an either/or ... probably depending on how manic the kids were, lol

[mike11111]

If you think that dipping a baby's dummy into whisky/brandy is bad, you should see what the Victorian nursemaids got up to. They used to dip them in laudanum (opium).

[mollykins]

it's true, I was even younger, I had alcohol on my dummy according to my mum who wasn't very happy about it, and my dad's always doing it to the dummys of toddlers when they come round to tea.

[ummmm]

It's 5..

[mike11111]

Sandy, 'Nurse Dinneford's gripe water' Loved it, hence my addiction to the gin bottle.

[sandyRoe]

But at 5 they couldn't afford to buy their round.