The new attitude of youth

The proportion of eight to 15-year-olds who have smoked has fallen from 18pc of boys and 20pc of girls in 1997, to 6pc of boys and 3pc of girls in 2016, according to NHS data. Children aged 8 to 15 who reported ever having had an alcoholic drink fell from 45pc in 2003 to 15pc in 2016. Almost 30pc of 11 to 15 year-olds had taken drugs in 2001 – by 2014 this fell to 15pc. Teen pregnancy is also now at a record low.