MORE ACTION has been called for to stop adults buying alcohol for children after it was revealed how many convictions there have been in Fife over the last three years.
Only 22 people were convicted in the region’s courts of proxy purchasing of alcohol between 2009 and 2012.
Kirkcaldy drug and alcohol project Clued Up claims that adults who are prepared to supply youths with booze are fuelling the problem of under-age drinking.
Fife MSP Claire Baker said: “The conviction rate seen across Fife does not reflect the true extent of the problem.
“I recently met with Clued Up and they identified proxy purchasing as a major factor in under-age drinking.”
A scheme called Bottlewatch was trialled in North-East Fife, whereby bottles were permanently marked so that police could trace them back to the shop where they were bought.
However, the initiative is no longer running.
A Government spokesman said robust legislation was in place to tackle underage drinking.
“It is already an offence to purchase alcohol on behalf of a child or young person and legislation came into effect last year to make it mandatory for licensed premises to have a Challenge 25 policy of checking the age of anyone attempting to buy alcohol who looks less than 25 years old,” he said.
“However, we are keen to further tackle the scourge of under-age drinking, which is why we are committed to creating an offence for supplying alcohol to under 18s in a public place.”
A Fife Constabulary spokesman said: “We take the issue of proxy purchasing of alcohol seriously and run a number of operations to tackle it, including Bottlewatch.
“We really need the help of the public to identify people who purchase alcohol on behalf of under-age drinkers.
“We also remind the licensed trade that they have discretion in the sale of alcohol.”