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Less Drinking, Smoking And Sex Among Young People - Study Finds


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Behaviours of young people

There's been a decrease in the numbers of young people smoking and drinking since 2014.

That's according to a new Health Behaviours in School-aged Children (HBSC) study of schoolchildren's behaviour.

64% of children surveyed say they have never had an alcoholic drink, up from 58% in 2014.

Of those who had drank before, 34% said they got the alcohol from a parent or guardian.

While fewer teenagers are having sex, with a reduction in the numbers of 15 to 17-year-olds reporting ever having had sexual intercourse.

However, of those reporting having had intercourse, use of the birth control pill is down by 4% to 29% in 2018 - while there is a 9% drop to 64% in those reporting use of condoms.

alcohol

Alcohol Action Ireland says parents are wrong to think that introducing their child to alcohol is better in the long term.

The percentage of children who've tried tobacco was down from 16% in 2014 to 11%.

Over a fifth of 12 to 17-year-olds have tried vaping.

 

A higher instance of bullying was also reported by children, with 30% saying they've been bullied in school, up from 25% in 2014.


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