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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Girls more likely than boys to smoke and get drunk
John Carvel The Guardian
Saturday 27 Aug 2005 Girls are more likely than boys to smoke during the early years of secondary school and more likely to get drunk or be sick after consuming too much alcohol, according to a study issued yesterday by the National Centre for Social Research. A survey of almost 10,000 youngsters aged 11 to 15 found that the girls were as likely as the boys to have drunk alcohol in the previous week. While the proportion of boys drinking has fallen from 28% to 23% since 2001, that of girls taking alcohol has dropped only from 25% to 23%. The annual survey of 10,000 young people found half the girls who had taken alcohol admitted to getting drunk, compared with 46% of the boys. Girls were also more likely than boys to have felt sick - 18%, compared with 10% of the boys; 9% were sick, compared with 5% of the boys. The girls were more likely than boys to have got into an argument the last time they drank, but the boys were more likely to have had a fight. The average consumption of alcohol by 11- to 15-year-olds who drank in the week before the survey was 10.7 units, up from 5.3 in 1990. A quarter of the drinkers consumed 14 units or more. In the early 80s boys and girls were equally likely to smoke, but by 2004 the girls were substantially more likely to be lighting up. According to the survey, 10% of girls were regular smokers, compared with 7% of boys. All smoked a similar amount - about 42 cigarettes a week. Fears that the reclassification of cannabis from a class B to class C drug would lead to increased drug use in young people were unfounded, the survey said, with 11% of pupils using cannabis in the last year, down from 13% during the previous three years. Just 4% of pupils had taken a class A drug such as cocaine. Boys were more likely than girls to have taken drugs in the last year - 18% compared with 17%. The proportion of pupils who had never taken any classified drug was 74%, compared with 70% in the previous year. Victoria Manning, from the charity Action on Addiction, expressed concern about the high levels of alcohol consumption. "We know that young people are more at risk from a variety of ill effects as a result of binge drinking. This is because they generally have a smaller stature, which means that alcohol has a greater effect. "Alcohol can have detrimental effects on the development of adolescents, both physically and mentally. "Excess alcohol consumption can cause acute poisoning and increase the likelihood of accidents and of being the perpetrator or the victim of crime. Drinking alcohol can also lead to unsafe sex. "We really need to look at the factors that are causing people of such a young age to drink in this way." Theresa May, the shadow culture secretary, said: "The culture of underage drinking is becoming acceptable, and the implications for families and for the health of the nation in the future are absolutely dire. "Under the new laws, huge numbers of supermarkets, which tend to be a magnet for children who want to buy alcohol, have applied for round-the-clock licences. "What kind of message are we sending out to children about drinking when the government is intent on making it available 24/7?" The Liberal Democrat health spokesman, Steve Webb, said: "These figures show big health problems are being stored up for the future. Parents need to take some responsibility for their children's health and safety. "Young people often end up drinking because there is nothing for them to do in the evenings and the weekends. The government should use the opportunity presented by the 2012 Olympics to inspire young people."
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