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Research gives insight into young people's drinking, smoking and drug habits

Pastoral issues PSHE Pupil wellbeing
​Almost half of 11 to 15-year-old pupils have had an alcoholic drink, while one in five have smoked cigarettes and one in four have taken drugs, research has revealed.

The Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People 2016 study involved 12,000 young people from 177 schools in England.

Carried out by Ipsos Mori on behalf of NHS Digital in autumn 2016, the study asked the students about their experiences of smoking, drinking, drugs, including their consumption of cigarettes and alcohol in the week previous.

The figures revealed a notable increase in the numbers taking drugs. In 2014, 15 per cent of pupils had ever taken drugs, compared to 24 per cent in 2016. Researchers put part of this increase down to the addition of questions on nitrous oxide and new psychoactive substances.

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