Young people's access to tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs

Young people in the UK can easily obtain cigarettes and alcoholic drinks from a range of social and illicit commercial sources before they reach the legal minimum purchase age; many also report having access to illicit drugs. of alcoholic drinks and most illicit drugs, but not cigarettes, have been falling in real terms. the price of tobacco and alcohol is likely to reduce young people’s demand for them. or raising minimum purchase ages can reduce under-age sales of tobacco and alcohol, and has also been shown to reduce young peope’s hazardous use of alcohol. voluntary agreements with retailers, and intervening in illicit distribution systems, have not been shown to influence young people’s use of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs.