This factsheet examines the prevalence of alcohol use during young people’s first cigarette smoking experience.
Methodology
Participants in the 2014 YIS were asked, "If you have tried a cigarette/tobacco, were you drinking alcohol at the same time you first tried it?" Responses (yes or no) were examined by gender, ethnicity, smoking status1 and alcohol consumption status2. See the ‘About the Youth Insights Survey’ section for more detail and the relevant comparison groups.
When looking at differences by gender, ethnicity and alcohol consumption, we controlled for smoking status. This means that we have taken into account the respondent’s own smoking status to ensure that any difference found is not in fact due to whether or not they smoke. Analysis was restricted to participants who had ‘ever tried’ a cigarette (n = 737). Only statistically significant (p < .05) differences between groups are reported.
Key Results
• Among young people who have ever smoked, one quarter (26%) reported drinking alcohol at the time they first tried a cigarette.
• Young people who reported drinking alcohol the first time they tried a cigarette were more likely to still smoke (as either current or infrequent smokers) or have engaged in high risk alcohol consumption in the past month.