Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People surveys began in 1982, under the name Smoking among Secondary Schoolchildren. The series initially aimed to provide national estimates of the proportion of secondary schoolchildren aged 11-15 who smoked, and to describe their smoking behaviour. Similar surveys were carried out every two years until 1998 to monitor trends in the prevalence of cigarette smoking. The survey then moved to an annual cycle, and questions on alcohol consumption and drug use were included. The name of the series changed to Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young Teenagers to reflect this widened focus. In 2000, the series title changed, to Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People. NHS Digital (formerly the Information Centre for Health and Social Care) took over from the Department of Health as sponsors and publishers of the survey series from 2005. From 2014 onwards, the series changed to a biennial one, with no survey taking place in 2015, 2017 or 2019.In some years, the surveys have been carried out in Scotland and Wales as well as England, to provide separate national estimates for these countries. In 2002, following a review of Scotland's future information needs in relation to drug misuse among schoolchildren, a separate Scottish series, Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) was established by the Scottish Executive.
The Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People, 2016 is the latest in a series of surveys that measures the prevalence of smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and illicit drug use among 11 to 15 year olds in England. The survey collects detailed prevalence data as well as associated contextual information, including relevant attitudes, beliefs and knowledge. The sample size for 2016 was larger than previous surveys which enabled the sample to be split in two with one half of the sample answering the more detailed questions on smoking and drinking and the other half answering the more detailed questions on drugs.
Main Topics:
Main topics included young people in England and their legal and illegal substance use and the associated attitudes, beliefs and knowledge.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
Self-completion
