Rise of the teetotal teen as underage drinking falls 30pc
SCOTLAND’S teenage drinking rate has fallen dramatically, researchers have found.
Rates of weekly alcohol consumption among 15-year-olds have dropped from 41 per cent to 11 per cent in girls, and from 41 per cent to 14 per cent among boys since 2002.
The trend, which has also seen a rise in the number of teetotal teenagers, is highlighted in a World Health Organisation report led by St Andrews University.
The academics say the turnaround may be due to affordability, changes in parenting and the rise of social media, with children living more of their lives online rather than socialising in person.
The drop in drinking rates north of the Border is the second largest for girls and fourth largest for boys out of 36 European countries included in the research.
However, the report concludes that levels of alcohol consumption remain dangerously high across Europe and continue to be a public health concern.
Dr Jo Inchley, senior research fellow at St Andrews and lead editor of the report, said: ‘Reductions in harmful drinking have been greatest in countries that traditionally have had higher prevalence, such as Britain and the Nordic region.
‘This makes it clear change is possible, however more should be done to ensure adolescents are protected from the harms caused by alcohol.’
The study identifies a number of possible reasons for the recent declines in alcohol consumption including prevention campaigns, as well as shifts in parenting attitudes and teen culture.
It states: ‘Many countries have seen a recent decline in alcohol use in parallel with an increase in the number of adolescents who abstain from use.
‘These trends have been attributed to a range of factors, including stricter age restrictions on the purchase of alcohol and a greater understanding of the consequences of misuse. Changing social norms and increasing use of technology may also play a role.’
Dr Inchley added: ‘Teenagers spend less time hanging round on street corners than they used to, which is where alcohol was being drunk.’
She continued: ‘Studies have shown young people who are exposed to alcohol marketing are more likely to start drinking at an earlier age and to drink more. We therefore need to implement stricter policies to restrict advertising to young people, alongside other measures, such as taxation, minimum pricing and enforcing age restrictions.’
The report found that boys in Scotland were most likely to report drinking beer while girls were most likely to drink spirits.
Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick welcomed the report findings and said: ‘We continue to address the harm alcohol consumption causes.
‘We have introduced a minimum unit pricing policy, targeting the cheap, high-strength alcohol that causes so much damage.’