Teenage drinking on the increase

The study found that 38% of 15-year-olds drink regularly

Teenage drinking in Scotland is on the rise despite efforts by ministers to drive the figures down, according to a new study.

The Edinburgh University survey found that in 2002, 38% of 15-year-olds drank on a regular basis as did 17% of 13-year-olds.

Drinking among 15-year-old girls and boys and 13-year-old girls had increased since 1998 although the problem among 13-year-old boys had not worsened.

The Scottish National Party criticised the executive, saying it was "yet another" target they had set, and failed to meet.

The executive pledged in 1999 to reduce the level of drinking in young people to 16% by 2010.

It also promised to drive down the levels of smoking among young people to 11% by 2010.

It is a waste of time for the executive to continue along the same road that we are going down at the moment to tackle under-age drinking because it is clear that it is not working Shona Robison MSP

But the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (Salsus) 2002 showed little change in the number of young smokers, with the stark exception of 15-year-old boys.

It showed that there has been little change in the level of smoking since 1998 for 13-year-olds and 15-year-old girls - 24% of whom now smoke.

But there has been a dramatic decline in the number of boys who smoke, down from 25% in 1998 to 16%.

Deputy health minister Tom McCabe said: "I welcome this report which gives us some signs of encouragement, but also causes for concern."

He added: "Reducing harmful drinking by young people is one of our key priorities."

The report also showed that schoolchildren who smoke, drink and take drugs are more likely to have sex, play truant and spend their free time hanging around on street corners.

Most 15-year-olds got alcohol and cigarettes from shops and off-licenses while friends were the principal source of drugs.

Cannabis was the most commonly reported drug used in the last month - 21% of 15-year-olds and 6% of 13-year-olds.

Very few pupils reported using any other drug.

The survey covered over 23,000 13 and 15-year-olds in schools across Scotland.

'Negative impact'

SNP health spokeswoman Shona Robison said: "Tackling under-age drinking was one of the executive's main priorities but these figures show that instead of reducing the problem, it has actually increased.

"Under-age drinking has a hugely negative impact on the health of teenagers across the country, and it's about time for the executive to take matters into their own hands to crack down on this problem.

"It is a waste of time for them to continue along the same road that we are going down at the moment to tackle under-age drinking because it is clear that it is not working.

"The best way forward is to enforce stricter penalties on the minority of adults who sell alcohol to children so that we can really start to combat this crisis."