In 2015, teenagers are as unlikely to drink alcohol as 65 year-olds

Even though we tend to think of young people as the most likely culprits when it comes to binge drinking in the UK today, the opposite appears to be true according to new figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In fact, the figures show that binge drinking among 16-24 year olds has fallen by more than a third in the past 10 years, and that the percentage of teetotal young people is as high as the number of teetotal 65 year olds.

And even though the Scots are still most likely to binge drink compared to their Welsh and English cousins, one in five now report that they don’t drink alcohol at all:

This all appears to be in keeping with media attention over the past 6 months that has shown a continuing trend in young people drinking less alcohol than their parents, for various reasons; less ‘alcohol money’ since the recession, and more time spent on gadgets being the most popular.

But should more credit be given to youth work and public sector initiatives that help educate young people about the risks associated with drinking alcohol? Despite £60 million worth of cuts to youth services since 2012, have the concerted efforts of thousands of NGOs across the country managed to make a significant difference? Leave your thoughts below.

To see the full ONS article ‘How much do people binge drink in Great Britain?’, visit their website.