Underage smoking is in decline but binge drinking among 11- to 15-year-olds is rising fast. Recent figures from the National Centre for Social Research and the National Foundation for Educational Research show a fall in the percentage of 11- to 15-year-olds who smoke at least one cigarette a week.

George McNamara, policy adviser at children's charity NCH, says changing attitudes are the main reason for the fall. "Smoking is not as fashionable as it once was, which has had an impact on levels of smoking," he says.

The survey, Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2004, also found little change in the percentage of 11- to 15-year-olds who drank alcohol since 1988, but there was a large rise in the amount they consumed. In 1990, the mean number of units was 5.3 but this has doubled to 10.7 in 2004.

McNamara says the rise underlines the need for action to curb teenage drinking.

"A lot of the work being done to reduce drinking is aimed at young adults, not at young people," he says. "It is partly about enforcing the laws on underage drinking, but the key is changing young people's attitudes to drink."

www.statistics.gov.uk.