We don’t need cigarettes and alcohol, say London teenagers

Teenagers in London are the most clean-living in the country, an official report says today.

Drinking and smoking among 11 to 15-years-olds in the capital is lower than anywhere else.

Less than 40 per cent had ever drunk alcohol, and those who did consumed on average 11.3 units a week — the least in England.

Just under a third of London teenagers had ever smoked — the lowest nationally. The city also had the smallest percentage smoking at least one cigarette a week. And only 16 per cent said they had taken drugs in the last year.

The NHS Information Centre's findings are from the first regional survey of young people's antisocial habits.

Data was collected from nearly 22,000 teenagers over three years from 2006.

Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: "It is interesting that London has such comparatively low levels of drink, drug and alcohol use among 11 to 15-year-olds.

In contrast, youngsters in the North East are more likely than their peers anywhere else to smoke and drink alcohol [an average 17.7 units a week]."

Young people in the North-West were most likely to have taken drugs, and those in the South-West were least likely.