Teen drinking declining, a new NHS survey suggests

In 2009 the chief medical officer of England published the first official guidance on alcohol for children and young people. The recommendations suggest that the healthiest and safest option was for children to be alcohol free until they are 18. Or, if they did drink alcohol not until the age of 15. Children between the ages of 15 to 17 were suggested to only drink once a week with supervision. The guidance was intended to prevent general health risk factors (physical or mental health problems, impair brain development, and alcohol-related injuries) associated with high or regular alcohol consumption. The 2021 NHS digital survey aims to track the progress of this guidance and identify any future risk factors.