A vast majority of the students in the United Kingdom had been drinking alcohol during the last 12 months (91%), which is above the average of all ESPAD countries (83%). Also the proportion reporting drunkenness during the same period is higher than the average (68 versus 53%). Lifetime prevalence of smoking cigarettes, however, is lower than average (58 compared to 66%) and this holds true also for the 30 days prevalence (29 versus 35%). Use of marijuana or hashish is reported by substantially larger proportions than the average (38 and 21% respectively), and so is the proportion reporting use of other illicit drugs than cannabis (9 versus 6%).

Lifetime use of inhalants is slightly above the average (12 compared to 10%), while the use of tranquillisers or sedatives without a doctor’s prescription is less than half the average (2 versus 6%). Using alcohol in combination with pills is as common in the United Kingdom as the average of all countries (7%).