Growing up in Ireland: Key Findings Child Cohort at 17/18 Years – National Longitudinal Study of Children (ESRI)

This Key Finding reports on data from the third wave of interviews with Growing Up in Ireland’s older Child Cohort, when the young people were 17/18 years of age. It presents summary information on their use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis, as well as their sexual behaviour.

Adolescence is often characterised as a time of self-discovery, of new experiences, of forging new relationships. It is the time when many young people have their first experience of alcohol, tobacco and sometimes other drugs. Approximately 4% of the global burden of disease is now attributable to alcohol use. Furthermore, tobacco use, which is also often initiated in adolescence, is the leading preventable cause of death globally. Among the concerns raised about the use of cannabis is its potential for the development of enduring psychotic illness.

Read more: https://www.esri.ie/pubs/SUSTAT59.pdf