Young girls in the UK drinking, smoking and vaping more than boys

Girls in the UK are drinking, smoking and vaping more than boys, while the country is “top of the charts” globally for child alcohol use, a major report has found.

In one of the largest studies of its kind, the World Health Organisation (WHO) examined data from 280,000 children aged 11, 13 and 15 from 44 countries who were asked about their use of cigarettes, vapes and alcohol.

The research showed:

– Girls aged 13 and 15 in the UK tend to be drinking, smoking and vaping more than boys across a broad pattern of behaviour.

– Two-fifths of girls in England and Scotland have vaped by the age of 15 – higher than in other countries such as France, Austria, Germany, Albania, Spain, Canada and Norway.

– Some 30% of girls aged 15