Alcohol abuse down among school pupils in Leeds

The number of young people drinking in Leeds is down.

Latest figures from surveys of secondary school pupils in the city shows more than half have never tried an alcoholic drink, and the report claims school age young people are choosing not to drink.

It added that the number of alcohol-related hospital admissions for under-18s was also down in the last few years.

The survey stated 50.9 per cent half of secondary school pupils in Leeds said they had never tried alcohol in 2017/18 – up from 30 per cent in 2011/12.

The report added: “The survey captures the lifestyle choices of children and young people and shows that a growing number of school age young people in Leeds are choosing not to drink alcohol in line with national trends.”

The rate of alcohol related hospital admissions in Leeds also dropped from 62.2 per 100,000 in 2009/10-2011/12 to just 36.7 per 100,000 in 2014/15-2016/17.

It added that females and young people from inner South and East Leeds have higher rates of alcohol related admissions, although the rates need to be “treated with caution as the numbers are very small.”

The report stated: “The proportion of Year 11’s who report ever having taken illegal drugs fluctuates yearly around 20% and shows no clear pattern.”

The issue will be discussed in Leeds City Council’s children and families scrutiny board on Wednesday, March 6.