Research has revealed that young people are now much more likely to be teetotal than older generations. Twenty-seven per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds avoid alcohol altogether, compared with only 20% of 25-44s and 15% of 45-64s.
Drinkaware spokesperson Kelly O’Sullivan has claimed that ‘cyber-shame’ may be a significant factor that’s causing us to limit our boozing, reports Mail Online. She explained: ‘Young people who spend a lot of time online are quite happy to tag photos of their friends drunk but are more concerned about being tagged themselves. This might curb their behaviour.’
She also stated that the enforcement of ‘Challenge 21’ ID policies in off-licences, bars and supermarkets may have contributed to the change.
Experts have pointed out that many young people have less money to spend on nights out as a result of the recession and so are more likely to stay at home and chat online to their friends. The newspapers might be filled with photos of boozed-up bar crawls – but we’re actually just* *as likely to be at home scrolling through Facebook.
Even though 18-24s are statistically less likely to touch booze at all, the 73% who do drink alcohol are more likely to binge drink than older age groups. Still, the number of teens and twentysomethings bingeing has fallen sharply – down from 29% in 2005 to 18% in 2013.
Only 2% of young adults are classed as frequent drinkers, according to the latest research, meaning they drank alcohol on five or more days in the previous week. That’s down by more than two-thirds since 2005.
It’s not just alcohol, either. The research also found that young people were less likely to use illegal drugs or have casual sex than they were eight years previously. To use an Absolutely Fabulous analogy, we’re basically the sensible Saffys to our parents’ party-mad Edinas!
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Picture: Matilda Hill-Jenkins
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.