Young adults in the UK are experiencing a dramatic shift in substance use patterns, with binge drinking and drug use climbing sharply while cigarette smoking plummets to half the rate of the previous generation. A comprehensive study of nearly 19,000 people born around the turn of the millennium found that by age 23, substance use behaviors have transformed in ways that reveal both progress and serious public health concerns. How Has Binge Drinking Changed Among Young Adults? The most striking finding from the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), a long-running UK research project, is how normalized binge drinking has become. By age 23, 68% of respondents reported binge drinking at least once in the past year, with nearly a third, 29%, doing so at least once a month. This represents a dramatic shift from earlier in life. At age 14, fewer than 1% of the same group reported frequent binge drinking. By age 17, that figure had risen to 10%. The jump to 29% by age 23 shows how quickly risky drinking habits can take hold during the transition to adulthood. What's particularly concerning is that this generation isn't improving compared to those who came before. Frequent binge drinking stood at 25% among people born a decade earlier when surveyed at age 25. The current cohort sits at 29%, suggesting the trend is worsening rather than improving. What's Happening With Smoking and Vaping? The clearest generational win in the data is the dramatic decline in cigarette smoking. Just 9% of the current cohort smoked daily at age 23, compared with 20% of those born around 1989 to 1990 at a similar age. This represents a genuine public health achievement, likely driven by sustained anti-smoking campaigns and changing social attitudes toward cigarettes. However, vaping has stepped in to fill the gap left by declining cigarette use. Daily vaping was reported by 19% of 23-year-olds, up from just 3% at age 17 and less than 1% at age 14. More than half, 57%, said they had tried vaping at some point. Researchers warn that evidence of harm from vaping is now emerging, though long-term consequences remain largely unknown. How Much Has Drug Use Increased Among Young Adults? Illicit drug use tells a similar story of steep increases through the late teens and early twenties. By age 23, almost half, 49%, said they had tried cannabis at least once, up from 31% at age 17. The picture is even more dramatic for harder drugs. Around 32% had tried harder drugs by age 23, more than three times the rate reported at age 17, which was just 10%. Regular use also increased significantly. Twelve percent reported using cannabis regularly at 23, compared to 9% at 17. Regular use of harder drugs rose from 3% to 8% over the same period. These increases highlight how the transition from late adolescence to early adulthood is a critical window when substance use patterns often become established. Which Groups Face the Highest Risk? The data reveal clear patterns in who is most vulnerable to substance use. Males reported higher rates across nearly every category: - Binge Drinking: Males were more likely to binge drink frequently at 31% compared to 27% for females. - Smoking: Males smoked regularly at 10% compared to 7% for females. - Cannabis Use: Males used cannabis frequently at 16% compared to 9% for females. - Harder Drug Use: Males reported frequent use of harder drugs at 10% compared to 6% for females. - Gambling Problems: Males reported gambling problems at 7% compared to just 1% for females. Daily vaping was the one area where rates were nearly identical, with 18% of males and 19% of females reporting daily use. Education also shaped the picture significantly. University-goers were more likely to binge drink frequently at 33% versus 26% for those without university education. However, those without a university education were more likely to smoke at 13% versus 4%, vape daily at 25% versus 12%, and report gambling problems at 5% versus 3%. Geography played a notable role as well. Scotland and Northern Ireland had notably higher rates of frequent binge drinking at 37% and 35% respectively, compared to England at 28% and Wales at 26%. What's the Story With Gambling Among Young Adults? For the first time, the MCS tracked gambling alongside other addictive behaviors, revealing a growing concern. Around 32% of 23-year-olds said they had gambled in the past year, and a further 4% reported a gambling problem, defined as feeling guilty about gambling, facing criticism from others, or running into financial trouble because of it. The gender disparity in gambling problems is striking. Seven percent of men reported gambling problems compared to just 1% of women. Online platforms have made gambling easier to access than ever before, and the data suggest that accessibility is having a real and measurable impact on substance use among young people. Steps to Support Young Adults Struggling With Substance Use - Recognize Early Warning Signs: Parents, educators, and healthcare providers should watch for rapid increases in substance use during the late teens and early twenties, a critical window when patterns often become established and harder to change. - Tailor Prevention Approaches: Since patterns of substance use differ significantly by sex, education level, and geography, prevention strategies should be customized rather than using blanket national policies that don't address specific community needs. - Address Multiple Substances Simultaneously: Young adults often use multiple substances, so comprehensive interventions should address binge drinking, vaping, drug use, and gambling together rather than focusing on single substances in isolation. What Do These Findings Mean for Public Health Policy? The overall picture points to a continued need for targeted action. The decline in smoking proves that sustained public health campaigns can shift behavior over time. But the surge in vaping, the persistence of heavy drinking, and the spread of online gambling all need fresh attention. Researchers from UCL's Centre for Longitudinal Studies note that participants have been followed since birth, which means future analysis can explore the early risk factors that shape young adult substance use in the UK. That kind of long-term insight is vital for building effective prevention strategies tailored to specific populations rather than applying one-size-fits-all approaches. The study involved 9,675 young people at age 23 from the larger cohort of nearly 19,000 individuals born around the turn of the millennium. This represents one of the most detailed snapshots yet of substance use among young people in Britain today, providing policymakers with concrete data to guide prevention and treatment efforts.
