Number of young people drinking, smoking and vaping in Bury falls to record low

New figures released for Bury, as part of the Trading Standards North West Youth Survey, reveal that underage drinking is at an all-time low with 58% of young people (aged 14-17) abstaining from alcohol and those identifying as regular binge drinkers at a low of 6%.

The survey also showed a fall in the percentage of young people trying vapes, down from 46% in 2023 to 28% in 2026.

The findings come from the survey which is carried out by Trading Standards North West to explore the attitudes and behaviour of 14-17 year olds in the region. The survey has been running since 2005 and the results are used to monitor illicit sales of age-restricted products with an overall aim of protecting young people.

For the first time, the survey also examined cosmetic procedures among young people to reflect emerging trends and risks. While only 2% of respondents reported having undergone a cosmetic procedure - most commonly skin treatments, Botox or lip fillers - some reported receiving treatments in unregulated settings, including private homes and hotel rooms.

Trading Standards North West says this is an area that will continue to be monitored closely as part of wider work to protect young consumers from unsafe and illegal practices.

As well as drinking rates being at an all-time low, the number of young people being illegally sold alcohol in shops has reduced; in 2023, 40% of young people who drank alcohol claimed to buy it themselves, but this figure has reduced to 35% in 2026.

Ben Thomson, Assistant Director of Public Protection and Resilience, said: “These results are incredibly encouraging and reflect the sustained, targeted work taking place across Bury and the wider North West to protect young people from harm. Seeing record lows in smoking, drinking and vaping demonstrates the real impact of robust enforcement, effective education and strong partnership working.

However, this is not a position where we can be complacent. The findings reinforce the need to stay focused on emerging risks – particularly online sales, social media influence and unregulated practices. We will continue to take firm action against those who break the law while working proactively with communities and partners to safeguard young people and build on this positive progress.”

Jon Hobday, Director of Public Health, said: “We are really encouraged by these findings, which show clear progress in reducing smoking, vaping and alcohol use among children and young people. It’s particularly positive to see record numbers choosing not to drink, alongside significant reductions in vaping and consistently low levels of smoking observed in the latest survey - However, we need to treat these results with some caution. While trends are moving in the right direction, too many young people are still exposed to and accessing these products, and new risks are continuing to emerge.”

“This means there is no room for complacency. We must continue to work with partners, communities and enforcement agencies to sustain this progress—tackling illegal sales, reducing exposure through advertising, and supporting young people to make healthy choices.”

“Our focus remains firmly on protecting the health and wellbeing of children and young people, and continuing the hard work needed to drive these numbers down even further.”

• Number of 14–17-year-olds abstaining from alcohol has reached its highest ever level – 58% of respondents don’t drink (up from 46% in 2023).
• Significant drop in the percentage of young people trying vapes from 46% in 2023 to 28% in 2026
• Percentage of young people smoking is at an all-time low of 1% with 94% having never tried a cigarette

About Trading Standards North West

Trading Standards North West works to make the North West a safe, healthy and fair environment for more than 7 million consumers and businesses. While it is the responsibility of businesses to ensure they comply with laws prohibiting the sale of age restricted products to individuals below the legal age limit, Trading Standards will take action when those laws are ignored.