These limits are not targets to drink up to. There are times and circumstances when it makes sense not to drink at all, for example if a woman is pregnant, if a person is taking some other medicines or drugs, or when driving. The body gets rid of about one unit of alcohol drunk every hour. The alcohol is 'burnt up' by the liver. Very little alcohol is lost through sweating, urinating or being sick.
Most young people drink alcohol without experiencing any serious harm.
By the age of 11, the majority of children will have drunk some alcohol. The vast majority of children up to the age of 12 prefer soft drinks to alcoholic drinks. Even at age 15, only a minority say they enjoy the taste of alcohol. The effects of drinking alcohol will be greater in young people because of their smaller size, their lack of experience with alcohol, and the result that the body has less tolerance to alcohol. It is vital to know what to do in an emergency, for example when someone has drunk too much alcohol and falls unconscious.