Newly released statistics from NHS Digital have revealed that the proportion of smoking students has hit a record low of 3%. However, alarmingly, over 20% of 15-year-old girls are now using e-cigarettes, bringing to mind the smoking levels seen over a decade ago. This data suggests a worrying trend towards a new form of nicotine addiction among young people. Photo credit: David Jones/PA.
A study has revealed that in 2021, 21% of 15-year-old girls admit to currently using electronic cigarettes, more than twice the amount recorded by NHS Digital in 2018 (10%). The percentage of girls using e-cigarettes is 7 percentage points higher than their male peers of the same age.
The 2021 report on smoking, drinking, and drug use among young people in England shows a decrease in the percentage of students who self-report as smokers from 5% in 2018 to 3% in 2021, reaching an all-time low. As of 2021, less than one-eighth of secondary school students (12%) have ever smoked, which is the lowest number since comparable records began in 1982.
The number of people using electronic cigarettes has reached a historical high. In 2021, 9% of students have tried e-cigarettes, which is the highest number on record, compared to 6% in 2018. Girls aged 15 are most likely to do so, with over one-fifth of people reporting current use and 12% saying they use e-cigarettes frequently. The last time regular smoking rates were this high among 15-year-old girls was in 2010, when 14% reported being regular smokers.
However, the study also revealed progress in reducing alcohol and drug use. According to new data released by NHS Digital, only 18% of 11 to 15-year-old teenagers in England reported having used drugs by 2021, down from 24% in 2018. Last year, only 40% of students reported having drunk alcohol, down from 44% in both 2018 and 2016.
According to data, high school students with stronger social skills- those who frequently interact with people outside of their family or school- are more likely to have tried illegal drugs, alcohol, or smoking compared to those who rarely meet others. Among those who interact with people outside of their family or school on a daily basis, nearly one-fifth (19%) have used drugs in the past month. In contrast, 8% of those who socialize outside of their home or school a few times a week and 5% of those who only meet with people outside of their home or school once a week have used drugs in the past month. Among those who have not met anyone in the past month, only 2% have used drugs.
According to statistical data, Covid-19 may have played a role in the decrease in drug usage, as the early 2021 restrictions may have limited young people's opportunities to socialize outside of school. The proportion of students who have tried nitrous oxide (known as laughing gas) has decreased significantly. In 2021, only 3% of students had tried it, a decrease of 2.8 percentage points since 2018. The proportion of high school students who have tried glue and solvents has decreased by 2.2 percentage points to 6.8%, while cocaine usage has decreased from 1.8% to 1.4%.
Reducing drug use, alcohol consumption and smoking may have a positive impact on the mental health and well-being of young people. Last month, more than half of children who used drugs reported low levels of happiness during that time, while only 26% of children who did not smoke, drink or use drugs reported feeling happy.
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