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Warning over Neknominate online drinking game

Health experts have criticised the online drinking game Neknominate, saying young teenagers are at risk of peer pressure to take part. The craze, which has been implicated in several deaths, involves people filming themselves downing alcohol.

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Charity: Better to have 'alcohol chat' at home than A&E

The industry-funded charity Drinkaware is calling on parents to take a tough stance against the Neknominate game amid fears the trend could spread to young teenagers.

Research suggests that children are more than twice as likely to have an alcoholic drink if they have felt encouraged to do so.

Elaine Hindal, chief executive of Drinkaware said: "Young people should also be reminded that the behaviour of some older teens taking part in social media drinking games is not something to be copied - it can have serious implications."

I'm sure we can all remember feeling invincible as a child and keen not to be left out of the crowd, but as parents we know the real danger of a trend which encourages young people to take unnecessary risks and to put pressure on their friends to do the same.

Parents have more influence than they think. We want to protect our children from the pressure to drink alcohol under age and can play a vital role in doing so by giving them the confidence to say no.

We believe it's better to have the 'alcohol chat' in the living room than in A&E."

– Elaine Hindal, chief executive of Drinkaware

More than a third (35%) of 10 to 17-year-olds who use social networking sites have seen photos of their friends drunk.

Warning to parents over 'Neknominate' drinking game

Health experts have criticised the online drinking game Neknominate, saying young teenagers are at risk of peer pressure to take part.

Warning to parents over Neknominate drinking game. Credit: Johnny Green/PA Wire/Press Association Images

The craze, which has been implicated in several deaths, involves people filming themselves downing alcohol, nominating someone to continue the game, and posting the video on Facebook.

The Neknominate Facebook page, which has more than 8,000 "likes", has the headline "it's not a crime to get drunk"

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