This report contains results from an annual survey of secondary school pupils in England in years 7 to 11 (mostly aged 11 to 15). 5,187 pupils in 174 schools completed questionnaires in the autumn term of 2013.
NatCen Social Research (NatCen) and the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) carried out the survey on behalf of the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). The Home Office also have an interest in the statistics. This is the most recent survey in a series that began in 1982. Each survey since 1998 has included a core set of questions on smoking, drinking and drug use. Since 2000, the remainder of the survey questions have focused in alternate years on smoking and drinking or on drug use. The emphasis of the 2013 survey was on drugs.
The survey report presents information on the percentage of pupils who have ever smoked, tried alcohol or taken drugs. It presents information on the prevalence, frequency and type of drug use by pupils. The report includes information about how much alcohol school pupils consume and how many cigarettes they smoke. The report also describes the attitudes of pupils towards smoking, drinking and taking drugs.