Older students drinking at risky levels

A survey has found older high school children are continuing to drink alcohol at risky levels. Source: AAP

OLDER high school children are continuing to drink at risky levels but alcohol use by younger teenagers is dropping, a new national survey shows.

A survey of 25,000 Australian secondary school students, carried out every three years, found about one in five pupils were "current drinkers", having consumed alcohol in the past seven days.

The number of 12- to 15 year olds classified as current drinkers dropped from 17 per cent in 2008 to 11 per cent in 2011, the Australian Secondary Students' Alcohol and Drug survey has found.

The proportion of 16- and 17 year olds who drank in the past week dropped slightly, from 38 per cent in 2008 to 33 per cent in 2011.

But there was little difference in the number of those drinking more than four drinks on one occasion during that seven-day period, at 16 per cent in 2011 compared to 18 per cent three years ago.

Cancer Council Victoria chief executive Todd Harper said the fact that older students were still binge drinking at similar levels to 2008 was concerning.

"It means another generation is inheriting risky drinking behaviour," Mr Harper said in a statement.

"Drinking in teenage years is linked to higher risks of alcohol dependence problems in young adulthood, and excessive consumption is, in turn, a cause of many chronic illnesses such as cancer," he said.

About 45 per cent of those 16- to 17-year-old current drinkers intended to get drunk on most occasions when they consumed alcohol, Mr Harper said.

He said the government needed to address the availability of cheap alcohol and its promotion to young people, particularly during live television sport coverage.

Parents were the most common suppliers of alcohol to students deemed current drinkers, the research found.

Pre-mixed spirits were the preferred alcoholic drink among females while males preferred pre-mixed drinks and beer.

Meanwhile, the percentage of younger students who were considered current smokers dropped to the lowest level since the survey began in 1984.

Only four per cent of 12-15 year olds were current smokers in 2011 compared to seven per cent three years' earlier.

But rates among 16-17 year olds were stagnant at 13 per cent in 2011, the same figure recorded in 2008.

Almost half the students who smoked got cigarettes from friends but 18 per cent bought them over the counter, despite bans on selling cigarettes to under-18s.

Mr Harper said the survey showed graphic warnings on tobacco packaging and an increase in smoke-free areas had made a significant impact.

Cannabis was the most commonly used illicit substance among secondary school students.

The research was led by Cancer Council Victoria's Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer and also involved commonwealth, state and territory health departments.

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