Why are British Youth Drinking Less Alcohol?
Over the past 15 years or so, a trend has emerged showing that young people in the UK are drinking less alcohol. Considerably less, in fact. While the amount of alcohol consumed per person in the UK reached a peak in the mid-2000s, it has been dropping overall ever since. Young people seem to be at the forefront of this decline in the UK’s drinking.
Teenagers and young people in the 18-24 age bracket are not only consuming less alcohol, but their drinking habits also appear to have changed. They are less likely to drink to excess, and complete abstinence – going teetotal – has become more mainstream. However, young people remain the most likely to indulge in risky behaviours such as binge drinking, defined as drinking at least twice the recommended daily amount.
Nevertheless, these definite and noticeable changes in the landscape of British drinking are very encouraging from a public health standpoint, not least because of the dangers of teenage drinking. Interestingly, a general decrease in youth drinking is not only prevalent across young people from all social backgrounds, it is also largely replicated across Europe, North America, Australia, and other areas around the globe. Furthermore, it appears to be accompanied by a decrease in other unhealthy behaviours such as drug use.
Reasons Why Teenagers and Young People are Drinking Less
The common consensus is that it is difficult to know exactly why the drop in alcohol consumption in young people has occurred. Culture seems to be a strong contributing factor, as well as changing attitudes towards alcohol and drunkenness. A number of causes which most likely play a role are listed below.
Better Policing and Legal Enforcement
More frequent ID checks both by alcohol retailers and police at certain venues, mean that young people are less likely to be able to buy alcohol underaged. Police working closely with local authorities have also helped make pubs, supermarkets, and convenience stores more difficult places to obtain alcohol for young drinkers. However, since young people for the most part do not rely much on their own direct purchases if they want to drink – usually making use of friends or older siblings – this factor alone is unlikely to have caused a significant drop in youth drinking.
Greater Awareness of the Dangers of Alcohol
In the current digital era, which facilitates the spread of information, it is increasingly hard to remain unaware of the dangers of alcohol. Furthermore, the massive drinking prevalent among sections of previous generations, means that many young people know someone in their circle of family, friends, or acquaintances who has struggled with alcohol abuse or is in active alcohol addiction.
Educational campaigns mean that the health risks of alcohol are known to young people, as are the legal consequences of being drunk and disorderly or of driving under the influence.
Changing Social Behaviours
While socialising used to be centred largely around alcohol and drinking establishments, with children taking on board such a way of interacting with others from a young age, this appears to be changing. Young people spend inordinate amounts of time online, on social media groups, from the comfort of their homes – and quite often devote more time to a ‘virtual’ or online social life than real-life interaction with others.
Also, it would seem that drunkenness to the point of behaving foolishly is no longer considered as entertaining as before. Nor is it seen as cool. Furthermore, young people may be afraid that any drunken antics of theirs may end up posted on social media for all the world to see – with possible consequences when wanting to be accepted by a university or for a job.
The Cost of Drinking
Alcohol is, quite simply, expensive. Any drinking, but particularly regular drinking, even more so in pubs or bars, puts a strain on young people’s finances. Consumer trends among young people have shifted over the past decade or so, and it appears they have better things to spend their money on – Androids, headphones, or other possessions that give more lasting satisfaction than a one-off drink or night out. The cumulative effect of the government raising taxes on alcohol and inflation means that alcohol is not a cheap pleasure. The increase in the cost of alcohol is likely to be a significant factor in the decline of youth drinking.
Better Parenting
Particularly in children in their early to mid-teens, parental influence seems to be playing a greater role in keeping children away from alcohol. More parents seem to drink in such a way as to be a positive and responsible example to their children. Increasing numbers of children report that their parents do not allow them to drink at home, nor would they approve of them drinking elsewhere. These children therefore, grow up with the idea that drinking is “not OK”, which may help them not to gravitate towards drinking in a carefree way.
Overall, the signs of a marked drop in the alcohol consumption of young people, and particularly young teenagers, are good news. Drinking to the point of intoxication entails risks for anyone regardless of their age, beginning with those of accident or injury.
Children who, by definition, are not yet fully grown, face graver dangers to their physical and mental health. Being generally smaller than adults, with a lesser capacity to metabolise alcohol, they can suffer blackouts, pass out, or even get alcohol poisoning. Underage drinking can affect brain development, particularly memory and learning skills, and it can interfere with education.
It remains to be seen, however, how the younger generation will fare in later life. Currently people in their mid-fifties to mid-sixties are the most likely to drink regularly or even heavily, and have the lowest abstention rate. Evidence suggests, however, that complete teetotalism from a young age may stand people in good stead to maintain lifelong abstinence. Certainly, UK health authorities hope to build upon increased sobriety among young people, and see the trend consolidated.
