Medicines, online games, vaping … young Europeans exposed to « new risks of addictions » – Liberation

If the consumption of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes is good Down in European adolescentsnew forms of addiction develop and find their audience. Like Electronic cigaretteof the drugs Or online games, points out a European study published this Tuesday, May 20.

« While the consumption of substances among young people aged 15 to 16 in Europe continues to decline in the long term, new behavioral and health risks are growing », underlines the European Drug Agency (EUDA) in a press release.

In addition, the Euda notes « A notable increase in risky behavior in girls » in the eighth report of the European School Investigation Project on Alcohol and The other drugs (Espad), which has surveyed every four to five years since 1995.

The use of electronic cigarette has been up in particular since the espad began to measure its consumption. Use has increased from 14 % of smokers (having smoked in the last 30 days) in 2019 to 22 % in 2024. Girls are on average more numerous to have experienced vaping at least once in their lives: 46 % against 41 % for boys.

Conversely, the smoking is down: in 1995, 33 % of 15-16 year olds declared that they had smoked at least one cigarette in the last month, against 18 % in 2024.

Same tendency for alcohol consumption since the share of adolescents interviewed having declared that it had drunk alcohol in the last 30 days increased from 55 % in 1995 to 43 % in 2024, with a continuous drop since 2003.

Regarding drugs, the proportion of young people who have already experienced the consumption of an illicit substance during their lifetime has also been down continuous since 2011, from 19 % to 14 %.

On the other hand, the use Non -medical medication – in particular tranquilizers, sedatives and analgesic – now represents a « Growing concern« , Estimates the EUDA, with 14 % of 15-16 year olds having already consumed during their lifetime.

Online gambling Also constitute a new threat to adolescents since the share of 15-16 years who played in the last 12 months has almost doubled between 2019 and 2024, going from 8 % to 14 %. «  »Growth is particularly pronounced in girls»With whom this practice « Tripped, going from 3 % in 2019 at 9 % in 2024 ”, Add the report.

For this survey carried out in 2024 in 37 European countries, 113,882 students aged 15 to 16 were interviewed by anonymous form.