England: Rich Kids More Likely to Vape, Use Drugs

Vaping, illegal drug use, and drinking alcohol are more common among English children from better-off families compared to poorer households, a new study suggests.

The data showed that a more significant proportion of children aged 11 to 15 from affluent backgrounds in England self-reported their experience of each than those from the least affluent backgrounds.

The Social Mobility Commission said its analysis of National Health Service (NHS) digital data showed that almost a third (32 percent) of young people from wealthier backgrounds had consumed alcohol in the previous month.

This compared to less than a fifth (19 percent) of those from poorer households, suggests media reports.

Some 13 percent of more affluent kids had vaped, compared with 10 percent in the least advantaged group, while almost a quarter (23 percent) had taken drugs compared with 17 percent from poorer groups.

The authors suggested access to alcohol might be easier for children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.

However, the researchers said they don’t believe this explains the broader findings, and called for further research “to explore these worrying trends.”