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Number of teenage drinkers falling
The results of a survey from the NHS Information Centre suggest that the numbers of teenagers who have started drinking, taking drugs or smoking has started to fall.
The survey involved over 7,000 pupils from nearly 250 schools in England.
The results showed that for 2010, 45% of pupils between the age of 11 and 15 admitted to having tried alcohol. This figure was lower than the figure for 2009, which was 51%. Furthermore, only 32% of the respondents thought that it was OK for people of their age to drink alcohol.
The pupils were also asked if they had consumed any alcohol in the week before taking the survey. 13% said that they had, whilst in the 2001 survey, 26% had confirmed this. 60% of those who confirmed that they drink also indicated that they tend to drink over 4 units of alcohol.
The results also showed that 27% of pupils admitted to have smoked at least once. Furthermore, 5% confirmed that they were regular smokers and survey indicated that girls were more likely to start smoking than boys.
The proportion of respondents who admitted to trying drugs was 18%, and the most common drug that was tried was cannabis. This figure has fallen from 29% in the 2001 survey.
The study also suggested that people who smoked were also more likely to have tried alcohol and other drugs.
Chris Sorek, the chief executive of Drink Aware, believes that the figures are encouraging as they show both a reduction in the numbers of teenagers who are drinking as well as a change in attitudes.