School pupils ‘less tolerant’ of drinking among peers, says new report, as smoking, drinking and drug use continue to decline

The latest figures on smoking, drinking and drug use among school children in England suggest that they are becoming less tolerant of drinking among their peers, while fewer are drinking, smoking or taking drugs. The figures, published by the NHS Information Centre, show that just under a third (32%) of 11 to 15-year-old pupils surveyed in 2010 said it was okay for someone their own age to drink alcohol once a week, compared to nearly half (46%) of pupils surveyed in 2003, the first year this question was asked. Meanwhile, around one in 10 (11%) thought it was okay to get drunk once a week, compared to one in five (20%) in 2003.

The findings are from Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2010, which surveyed 7,300 pupils in September to December 2010 and shows a continuing decline in all three behaviours.

The 2010 survey focused on drinking and smoking and, for the first time, included responses to a new question about why pupils thought their peers drink. Pupils could select multiple answers and the most popular reasons given for peers’ drinking overall were:

• To look cool in front of friends (76%)
• Peer pressure from friends (62%)
• To be more sociable with friends (65%)
• For the buzz (60%)

However, there was a clear contrast in responses between pupils who drink and those who do not. The most popular reasons pupils thought their peers drank, among those who had drunk alcohol in the last week, were “for the rush or buzz” or “to be more sociable”. However non-drinkers thought their peers drank alcohol “to look cool in front of friends” or “because of pressure from their friends”.

The survey results also suggest an estimated six percentage point fall between 2009 and 2010 in the percentage of pupils who had tried alcohol; from 51 to 45%. This continues the downward trend since 2003, when 61% of pupils had drunk alcohol (similar to 2001 and 2002). However, the 2010 drop represents a greater fall than expected and future years’ data is needed to confirm if this is the start of a new trend.

The 2010 survey also shows:

• 27% of pupils had smoked at least once, compared to 44% in 2001
• 18% of pupils had reported having ever taken drugs, compared to 29% in 2001

Smoking, drinking alcohol and drug use are strongly associated with each other. Pupils who partake in one of these behaviours are more likely to partake in another.

Chief Executive of the NHS Information Centre, Tim Straughan, said “Our figures point to an increasingly intolerant attitude among young people in today’s society when it comes to the use of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs.

“As well as a reduction in the percentage who say they partake in these behaviours, a shrinking number think that drinking and drunkenness is acceptable among their peers.”