Last year, 6,100 people were taken to hospital after drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and 1,600 were under the age of 18, broadcaster RTL Nieuws said on Thursday.

The number of teenagers hospitalised with alcohol poisoning has doubled since 2006, the broadcaster said. The figures come from public safety foundation Veiligheid.NL.

Recent figures from the Trimbos institute, which focuses on addiction issues, showed that publicity campaigns and increasing the legal drinking age from 16 to 18 has had no impact on older teenage drinking rates.

Some 14% of 16 to 18-year-olds claim to knock back more than 20 drinks at the weekend and parents are still far too lax about supplying their teenagers with alcohol, the researchers said.

Younger teenagers are, however, drinking less, Trimbos figures published in July show.

The under-18s can be fined up to €90 if caught possessing of drinking alcohol since January 2014.