British Teens Get Booze in Return for STD Testing
Categories: Teens & Tweens, Medical Conditions, In The News, Weird But True, Alcohol & Drugs, Extreme Childhood
British health officials are trading alcohol for STD tests with children as young as 16. Credit: jesus leon, Flickr
Britain's National Union of Students proposed the countrywide plan, according to the Daily Mail. Students who volunteer to be tested are given tokens which can be redeemed for alcoholic beverages. The move comes as cases of chlamydia are rising among kids ages 16-24, making it the most common STD in the UK. More than 120,000 cases were reported last year.
Here's the real shocker -- kids are abusing the program. Gee, who could have seen that one coming? According to the Mail, events during which the tokens can be redeemed have descended into drunken mayhem.Politicians and medical experts, including Britain's Department of Health, are criticizing the scheme, saying that it encourages binge drinking.
"The organizers are naive to think that when alcohol's involved, students wouldn't work out a way to abuse the system, Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe told the Mail. "Using alcohol to bribe youths into testing is also unsuitable as we're trying to curb binge drinking not promote it."
The events are often held in bars or clubs, with the testing area set up within spitting distance of the bartender. One student told the Mail that the event she attending at the Sports Cafe in central London resulted in hundreds of drunk kids.
"There were loads of people who headed down there when they worked out there was free booze on offer," the unnamed woman said. "They weren't interested in getting tested to see if they had a serious health problem, just how quick they could get drunk."
File this one under "whose bright idea was that?" How many of those drunk students went home and had risky sex? We're betting more than a few.
Hey, England, you know what's a big motivator? Cash. Give that a try next time.
Related: British Scouts Get Condoms
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mihir 10-14-2009 @ 9:23AM
"Hey, England, you know what's a big motivator? Cash. Give that a try next time."
yeah! let 'em buy their own booze dammit!
Reply
Glorious 10-15-2009 @ 4:22PM
Five year olds with Personal Shoppers and now this. England is in BIG trouble and has been for a long time. They as a country have abandoned any and all spiritual searching and live now like the pagans they evolved from. As a once-great country firmly established as a nation under God, they are now as heathen as any tribe from the deep dark jungles of South America. "Fabulously hip and incredibly cool" sophisticated clapped-out, used up cynics who find no joy in life. They use Sex, Fashion, and other unsatisfying "things" to fulfill themselves and I feel very sorry for this country.
This article makes me sick. Oh, well...they can all line up for free socialized Rehab and in oh 20 years or so, their turn will come.
Good luck with that.
Reply
L'amant Noir 2-23-2010 @ 1:21PM
Dear,
The Not So "Glorious".
I read your comment and it made me laugh rather heartily. Like this: Hahahaaaaaaa. The reason being, I am a fully-grown Anglo-Indian woman living in London with an open-mind. I would, however, like to niggle at a few points you stated.
" "Fabulously hip and incredibly cool" sophisticated clapped-out, used up cynics who find no joy in life. "
Have you ever been to England...? Have you ever met more than three English men or women? I enjoy life to the full! I love mine! I have a fabulous man and a lovely, tidy house! If you're only gathering this evidence from Ricky Gervais, Simon Cowell etc, you really need to get out there. The reason the English might come off as cynical is because we laugh at ourselves. We're pretty much rubbish at everything, so instead of getting depressed about it, we laugh! I can say, it's very enjoyable! Lifts a lot of stress off of your chest.
" They use Sex, Fashion, and other unsatisfying "things" to fulfill themselves and I feel very sorry for this country. "
Paris Hilton. I can't say any more, can I?
" live now like the pagans they evolved from. "
My best mate is Pagan. Wanna say that again? Why should religion even be a priority? Shouldn't it be clothing the homeless, helping the poor, aid those in need? If you're willing to help, that means you're a good person. Does it matter about what religion you follow? I love all religions and races. I love them all. I am personally a Hindu, but I find all religions beautiful. We learn a lot about our psychology from them, about history and everything! My partner is Christian, we are very happy together. I love how religion can bring people together - but what I hate is when it becomes a prejudice. So please, be a little more respectful to your fellow Earth-sharers, the Pagans. Because without them, Christianity or any structured religion would not have spread to the British Isles and therefore America would be atheist. And America is a brilliant place: you're all so patriotic and friendly!
The English people are not all sophisticated upper-class posh twats. We go to work and go to bed. We have a lower-class too. I do volunteer work in a soup kitchen.
And this article is slightly biased, honestly - because so many people, including me, found this a stupid idea. Incredibly stupid, ridiculous. Our government needs sorting out, yes, but every country has problems. I'm on your side!
But to conclude, I've enjoyed being your not-so-stereotypical English writer, I've found this comment funny - but very irritating, and I'm sorry you were the other side of my rant. Consider who might be viewing your comments.
So please.
Research, my dear.
Loads of love and "cups of tea",
L'amant Noir.
xoxo.