Everyone knows what some modern young people are like - they live for the moment, drink heavily and are into, or at least experiment with drugs. Headlines swamp us with reports on ‘ladette’ and ‘binge drinking’ and older generations have despaired of ‘youth’ at least since the time of Plato. According to conventional analyses, young people are a breed apart in their tastes and habits and therefore require entirely different policies to deal with them.

Yet a comprehensive on line survey by YOU.gov into the attitudes of 700 17 -22 year olds in Britain has revealed quite a different picture. The average young person is sober, career minded and disinclined to experiment with any drug stronger than cannabis. 75% say they have or expect to have a good job and will enjoy what ever career they pursue, just 1% do not expect to work.

Few admit to heavy drinking (6%), 46% class themselves as moderate drinkers with 48% claiming to drink very little or not at all. 40% admit to experimenting with cannabis, but 86% say they do not use drugs. The over riding concern of the young adults, especially of those in higher education, is debt, with 40% worried about their ability to repay - 38% owe over £1,500 and 10% more than £10,000. The research, although a relatively small sample, suggests a far more complex picture than has hitherto been presented if these ‘givens’ about drinks and unruly behaviour are largely overstated as the research by Anthony King, Professor of Government at Essex University suggests.

WHO held an international technical conference in Valencia in May on self regulation and alcohol advertising, which concentrated heavily on its influence on young people. No industry representatives were invited to the conference.Presentations included ‘ How the industry is targeting young people’ The committee reached the following conclusions:

• Self-regulation is ineffective and is not being successful in limiting the marketing of alcohol to young people.
• Young people live in surroundings where there is continuous and invasive pressure towards alcohol consumption at a young age.
• Advertising expenditure plays a big part in this.
• Marketing clearly influences young people in making the decision on whether or not to consume alcohol.
• Marketing campaigns contribute to consumption.
• WHO should aid Governments to bring in regulations and legislation to ensure that young people are not exposed to alcohol promotion and help remove obstacles to such legislation.
• These practices should be implemented independently of commercial interests.

The conclusions failed to draw on extensive research which show repeatedly that industry advertising influences young peoples choice of brand rather than whether they drink or not.

The British Medical Association have also been active regarding young people this quarter, with calls for clear unit labelling on alcoholic beverages and for a crack down on drug-driving. This follows estimates from criminal intelligence chiefs that Ecstasy and LSD are easier for young people to afford than drink and cigarettes .The latest reports from the Transport Research Laboratory in Britain shows that positive tests for illegal drugs in crash victims have risen from 3 to18% in the last decade.The BMA’s concern is not limited to illegal drugs,as some prescription and over-the-counter medicines including strong painkillers and anti-histamines can impair driving performance.Currently there are no drug testing devices that can effectively prove driving impairment due to drugs, it is therefore difficult to enforce legislation. Tests used by the police at present to prove drug-driving are: asking divers to stand on one leg with their eyes closed and ordering them to walk heel-to-toe in a straight line. There are only 2 officers in England and Wales who are training instructors on how to test drivers for drugs. A number of research projects are under way into quick and effective detection, the most promising involving saliva tests. Dr. V Nathanson, the BMA’s head of Science and Ethics, said: ’People generally accept that you shouldn’t drink and drive but probably have no idea about the effects of drugs. Whatever action the Government takes it is essential that it is accompanied by a public awareness campaign’.