Teenage girls who date older boys ‘more likely to smoke and drink’

PARENTS who forbid their daughters to date older boys may be on the right track - teenage girls who associate with older boys are more likely to smoke, drink and use drugs.

A survey of 1,000 teenagers found friends do influence behaviour, or at least reflect behaviour, The National Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University said.

“We found a tight connection between teen sexual behaviour and dating and teen risk of smoking, drinking and using illegal drugs,” said CASA chairman Joseph Califano.