YOUNG DRINKERS IN SCOTLAND: THE FACTS

A NEW report published by the Health Education Board for Scotland reveals
that Scottish teenagers are drinking far more today than ten years ago.

The biggest increase was among 13- and 15-year-old boys - the number of
boys in those age groups who admitted to drinking alcohol more than once a
week nearly doubled between 1990 and 1998.

The report also showed that twice the number of 15-year-old girls
questioned in 1998 said that they had been drunk at least four times
compared to the findings in 1990. Many more 15-year-old girls drink alcohol
weekly now than ten years ago, according to the research.

In 1990, 7.2 per cent of boys aged 11 were using alcohol at least once a
week, by 1998 that number had increased to 11.2 per cent.

In 1990, 3 per cent of 11-year-old girls said they had tried alcohol at
least once a week, by last year the number had nearly doubled to 5.7 per cent.

In 1990, 9.3 per cent of 13-year-old boys admitted to having been drunk
more than four times, by 1998 the figure had risen to 13.5 per cent.

In 1990, 31.5 per cent of 15-year-old boys said they drank alcohol every
week, in 1998 43.8 per cent admitted to regularly drinking alcohol.

In 1990, 17.3 per cent of 15-year-old girls said they had been drunk four
times, by 1998 the figure had increased to 34.4 per cent.