THAT girls are passing more school exams with better grades these days, is well-documented. But a fin de millennium study demolishes the good girl image.
A survey of smoking, drinking and drug use among schoolchildren, published on the web by the Department of Health, found that 12 per cent of secondary-age girls smoked regularly, compared with 9 per cent of boys. The full report “Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2000”, can be read at www.archive.official-documents.co.ukdocumentdohsddypsurvey.htm Overall, smoking is in decline, and remains a minority pastime among schoolchildren. Less than a quarter of 15-year-olds indulge regularly.
Cannabis, on the other hand, has been tried at least once by a third of 15-year-olds and alcohol is drunk by nearly half of this age group. The number of young drinkers does not appear to have increased, but their intake has doubled: 10 units per week compared to five in 1990. Editors Richard Boreham and Andrew Shaw have prepared a summary of the findings which can be read at: www.archive.official-documents.co.ukdocumentdohsddypsummary.htm Sam Saunders Readers can email suggestions on future Internet Insights to Sam Saunders at J.P.Saunders@leeds.ac.uk