Swindon Borough Council has seen a significant reduction in teenage drinking rates in the area – thanks to a successful Social Norms programme delivered in schools this year.

In Autumn 2011, 11% of the 595 year 9s who were surveyed in the town (13 and 14 year olds) reported that they were drinking in the last week, however the same group incorrectly perceived that 42% of others in their year group were drinking.

Similar perception vs reality gaps existed for other behaviours so throughout Winter and Spring, schools used a variety of means to address the myths and promote the real reported figures to students.

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I read an interesting article this week about smoking in films and the influence this may have on young people choosing whether to smoke or not.
The research published in the Journal Thorax says that adolescents who saw the most films depicting smoking were 73% more likely to have tried a cigarette than those exposed to the least and that this group were 50% more likely to be a current smoker.

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