UK Health Radio – Medical News Update Youngsters smoking reduces

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update

Very good medical news today as the BBC report that smoking, drinking and drug use among secondary school pupils have been recorded as having more than halved over the past ten years. The figures came from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

Between 2003 and 2013, regular smoking fell from 9% to 3% of 11- to 15-year-olds. Regular alcohol drinking dropped from 25% to 9%.

The number of pupils who said they had taken illegal drugs also halved.

The HSCIC based its figures on a survey of more than 5,000 pupils in England.

Young people at 174 schools were questioned in the autumn term of 2013.

Health charity Ash said smoking in children had fallen to a record low.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Ash, said smoking levels among 15-year-olds were now well below the government target of 12%.

She said action taken by the government to ban tobacco advertising, put larger health warnings on packs and make all enclosed public places smoke-free had made a big difference.

"But more needs to be done and plain standardised tobacco packs are the obvious next step," she said.

Fears that electronic cigarettes could become a gateway into smoking for young people have not materialised so far, she added.

"We need to keep monitoring use in young people, and make sure advertising and promotion of electronic cigarettes doesn't glamorise their use."

When pupils were asked what activities were acceptable at their age, they said using illegal drugs was the least acceptable.

Only one in 20 agreed it was acceptable to take cannabis once a week, whereas one in four said it was acceptable to drink alcohol once a week.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update

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