Finland - Young People drink and smoke less

A release from the Finnish Department of Health confirms new research showing that young people experiment with or begin smoking at an older age than 10 years ago. Also, abstinence from alcoholic drinks has increased among 12-16-years-olds, while drunkenness has dropped among 18-year-olds. These trends were taken from a survey conducted among 5,840 young people aged 12-18 in 2007.

The survey suggests that smoking and tobacco products in general do not hold the same allure that they once did. Smoking is less conspicuous and there is a greater understanding of the health risks involved with it now.

Although inebriation has dropped overall among 18-year-olds, it has increased among boys of that age. Some 41% of boys and 30% of girls that age get drunk at least once a month. Twelve percent of those boys admitted to doing so once a week. Despite this, abstinence has increased among 12-16-year-olds, encouraging better habits as these children age.

Analysis of the survey attributes the persistence of heavy drinking to the 2004 alcohol tax cut and the elimination of import quotas on alcoholic drinks. This suggests that the social and health consequences from alcohol will continue to increase among young people unless measures are taken to break the trend.

For further information: Professor Arja Rimpelä, University of Tampere, tel: +358-3-3551-6802, +358-50-569-8285 (arja.rimpela@uta.fi).