Toddler aged three identified as UK's youngest alcoholic on record

British health authorities believe a three-year-old may be the youngest alcoholic ever recorded in the country, after the child received hospital treatment for alcohol dependency. The case emerged through a Freedom of Information request revealing that 13 children under 12 were diagnosed with alcoholism by the National Health Service in central England between 2008 and 2010. Officials withheld the toddler's personal details, citing patient confidentiality.

The disclosure landed on the same day that prominent medical bodies, including the British Medical Association and Alcohol Concern, criticized a government alcohol initiative. The groups argued that allowing drinks companies to set voluntary pledges on binge and underage drinking gave the industry undue control over public health policy, and condemned the pledges as vague and unverifiable.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in March 2011, in its own words.