<p>LONDON (Reuters) - Teenage girls in the UK have overtaken boys as binge drinkers for the first time and are now second only behind Irish girls in Europe, according to a report on Thursday. </p>
<p>The Institute of Alcohol Studies said 29 percent of teenage girls were binge drinkers in 2003 compared with 26 percent of boys. In 1999 the figure was 27 percent and 33 percent respectively.</p>
<p>It said over a quarter of all 15- and 16-year-olds in Britain had been on drink binges three or more times in the last month.</p>
<p>Among adults, Britons rank among the top binge drinkers in Europe, causing widespread damage to the nation’s health and social fabric.</p>
<p>The study said British drinkers binge about once every 13 days - 28 days a year - the second-highest rate in Europe behind Finland and Ireland, both on 32 times.</p>
<p>“Drink early. and often” seems to be their motto. So much for the success of lower drinking ages. ;)</p>