TODAY’s children are drinking and smoking less than any generation before them, NHS figures show.
Generation Alpha — those born since 2010 — have record-low use of ciggies and alcohol but vaping is booming.
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Just three per cent of children aged eight to 15 in 2022 had tried a cigarette, compared with 19 per cent of those the same age in 1997.
Only 14 per cent admitted drinking alcohol — down by two thirds on the 45 per cent who had boozed in 2003.
Although the downturn is being seen as good for our youngsters, they may face other risks from new habits.
One in eight — 12 per cent — has used an e-cigarette, with more recent research suggesting it is one in five. The obesity rate in 11-year-olds is up from 17.5 per cent in 2006 to 23 per cent in 2023.
About half of children do not get enough exercise, according to the NHS’ Health Survey for England.
Prof Steve Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, called cigarette use decline in children “heartening”.
But he warned the rise of e-cigarettes meant there was no room for complacency.
Prof Amelia Lake, public health expert at Teesside University, believes lockdown has changed children’s lives.
She said: “They were locked up in their house with a screen, so their world is quite different to children from not that long ago.”
The survey of 10,000 adults and children also found three out of ten men and one in five women drunk potentially harmful amounts of alcohol.
The 4 horrifying things that can happen to your body after vaping
VAPES were once hailed as miracle devices to help adults ditch cigarettes.
But while the devices don’t carry the same risks as tobacco, experts have warned that vaping might not be so harmless after all.
Here are five ways vaping could damage young users bodies:
1. It could slow down brain development
Vaping nicotine can permanently affect brain development in people under the age of 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It said that nicotine consumed during teenage years can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control, as well as increase the risk of addiction.
2. It could lead to tooth decay
Dr Michael Heffernan, a dentist at The Wessex Dental Specialist Care, said most vapes contain dangerous chemical that can harm your teeth and lead to decay.
Puffing on the devices could also lead to mouth dryness, creating an environment in which harmful bacteria can grow.
3. It could damage heart health
However, some of the chemicals found in vapes can be damaging to the heart, with the American Heart Association (AHA) stating that vaping is “as harmful to the body’s cardiovascular systems as cigarettes”.
4. It could cause lung disease
Vaping from a young age could leave children with breathing difficulties, with paediatric respiratory consultant Dr Mike McKean saying he’d seen reports of people developing lung disease related to vaping.
Researchers from the US also found that young people who vape are more at risk of bronchitis, inflammation of the airways, and shortness of breath.
Read more on how vaping can affect your health here.