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23/05/2008
Half Of Teens Regular Drinkers And Drug Users
A new report has revealed that about half of adolescents use illegal drugs and binge drink regularly.
The survey of hundreds of teenagers aged between 15 and 19 from the south and south east of Ireland found more than 50% frequently drank heavily with a similar number regularly using drugs.
Young people today in UCD will disclose the findings at an international conference on alcohol and drug use.
A conference spokesman said: "The research was conducted on a sample of 462 15-19 year olds living in the south and south east regions and found that 51% binge drank regularly which is defined as five or more drinks on one occasion once a month or more."
He added: "Nineteen per cent said they binge drink weekly, while 4% said they binge drink several times a week."
About 86% of those surveyed said they drank alcohol and the findings showed there was no significant difference between boys and girls in how much they took or at what age they first began drinking.
The average age was just 13 and a half.
At 15 years old 12% of boys and 20% of girls said they took alcohol at least once a week while 50% of boys and almost 70% of girls drank at 19.
About 50% of the young people said they had used illegal drugs, with the average age of the first occasion at just 14 and a half.
(DW)
The survey of hundreds of teenagers aged between 15 and 19 from the south and south east of Ireland found more than 50% frequently drank heavily with a similar number regularly using drugs.
Young people today in UCD will disclose the findings at an international conference on alcohol and drug use.
A conference spokesman said: "The research was conducted on a sample of 462 15-19 year olds living in the south and south east regions and found that 51% binge drank regularly which is defined as five or more drinks on one occasion once a month or more."
He added: "Nineteen per cent said they binge drink weekly, while 4% said they binge drink several times a week."
About 86% of those surveyed said they drank alcohol and the findings showed there was no significant difference between boys and girls in how much they took or at what age they first began drinking.
The average age was just 13 and a half.
At 15 years old 12% of boys and 20% of girls said they took alcohol at least once a week while 50% of boys and almost 70% of girls drank at 19.
About 50% of the young people said they had used illegal drugs, with the average age of the first occasion at just 14 and a half.
(DW)
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Publicans Boycott Galway Drinkers Ambulance Service
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