According to a report by global health experts, more than half of 13-year-olds and a third of 11-year-olds in England have drunk alcohol, making it the country with the highest rates of adolescent drinking out of 44 countries examined. The report also found that girls were more likely than boys to be drinking and getting drunk at age 15 in England, Wales, and Scotland. The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted that alcohol use among young people can have long-term effects on health and has called for countries to introduce more measures to protect children from the harm caused by alcohol consumption.
Data from about 4,500 school-age children across Europe, central Asia, and Canada from 2021-22 on cigarette smoking, vaping, alcohol, and cannabis habits among adolescents were examined. Although the UK has relatively high alcohol use among young people, this is declining with time. Despite this, there are signs that more children are starting to drink at a young age, which is a concerning trend. Research shows that the earlier children start drinking, the more serious the problem can become when they are older.
At age 13, the report found that 12% of girls and 9% of boys in England had been drunk at least twice in their lives. By age 15, this had risen to a third of girls and a quarter of boys, with more than half of girls saying they had drunk alcohol in the past 30 days. According to the study coordinator, Dr Jo Inchley, factors such as being exposed to alcohol at home, changing attitudes among parents, and rebound effects after Covid lockdown could be contributing to this trend.
The report also found that vaping rates have increased among children, with nearly one in 10 11-year-olds stating they have used a vape at least once, rising to 26% of boys and 40% of girls by age 15. The WHO is calling on countries to introduce measures to protect younger generations, such as limiting the availability of nicotine and tobacco products, alcohol, and a ban on advertising and promotion of any substances on mainstream and social media
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