A PSYCHOLOGIST has urged North-East parents to take a zero-tolerance approach to alcohol.

Dr Aric Sigman, the author of an influential book about protecting children from alcohol issues, was speaking at a conference at Ramside Hall Hotel, near Durham City, organised by Balance, the North-East Alcohol Office.

The conference is being held ahead of Alcohol Awareness Week, which starts on Monday.

A campaign will be launched by Balance on Monday calling for curbs on alcohol advertising so young people are not exposed to pro-drinking messages.

Dr Sigman told an audience of more than 160 health workers, police officers and teachers that there was now overwhelming evidence that allowing under-18s to drink alcohol was damaging their brains, potentially leading to behavioural problems.

He said liberal parents needed to reject the so-called French model, where children are encouraged to sip a little alcohol at an early age in the hope it will encourage them to drink more sensibly when they are older.

He said: “The French have twice the rate of deaths from cirrhosis of the liver and have terrible problems with alcoholism.

They cannot believe we want to copy them.”

Dr Sigman, who lectures at schools about public health and has worked on campaigns for the Department of Health, said the only safe approach was to ask teenagers not to drink at all.

He said that people’s brains continue to develop until the age of 24, and could be damaged by drinking alcohol at 18.

Dr Sigman highlighted the findings of several scientific papers that showed any exposure to alcohol during the teenage years was linked to brain damage, behavioural problems, an increased risk of addiction to alcohol in adulthood and an increased chance of depression.

US studies also suggested a strong link between alcohol and poor grades at university.

Dr Shonag Mackenzie, an obstetrician in Northumberland, challenged Government guidelines that it was okay for pregnant women to have one or two drinks once or twice a week, pointing out that there was growing evidence that any alcohol during pregnancy could damage the unborn child.

She said miscarriages were often linked to drinking.