Search among students: alarming trends in cannabis and game behavior!

Search among students: alarming trends in cannabis and game behavior!

Current studies show worrying trends in substance consumption among young people in Austria. According to the Espad study, which was carried out in 37 European countries, 18 percent of the students surveyed stated that they had consumed cannabis at least once. Each seventh has reached cannabis in the past twelve months, while 7 percent have consumed cannabis in the last 30 days. These findings were collected on the basis of data from a survey of 7,735 students between the ages of 14 and 17 and summarized by Gesundheit Austria GmbH on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

The focus of the report on different substances shows that sniffing fabrics, mixtures of alcohol and medication as well as laughing gas are common consumer options that are favored away from classic drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. In addition, every tenth student has already taken part in games of chance, whereby regular gambling consumption is rarely reported.

decline in the consumption of cigarettes and alcohol

A positive signal is shown in the area of traditional cigarette consumption: students consume fewer cigarettes. The proportion was reduced from 49 percent in 2003 to only 23 percent in 2024. Alcohol consumption also shows changes; While 60 percent of the respondents consumed alcohol in the last 30 days, about 20 percent regularly drink, which corresponds to at least six times a month. The long -term trend shows that the proportion of young people who have never consumed alcohol has quadrupled since 2007.

At the same time, there is an increase in the consumption of new products such as nicotine bags and e-cigarettes. The consumption of e-cigarettes rose from 7 percent in 2003 to 29 percent in 2024. This development is relevant because more students reported that they have had initial experiences with e-cigarettes than with conventional cigarettes.

mental health and social media

The study results also illustrate the well -being of young people. 25 percent of the respondents state that they feel low well -being, while 10 percent show high psychological stress. Girls are affected more often than boys. In addition, the report on problematic usage behavior in connection with social media reports, which many students perceive as a more worrying as a gambling or digital games.

of the students who took part in the study show 9 percent signs of risky alcohol consumption, which indicates the need for targeted prevention strategies. According to Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge from the WHO is a serious threat to public health in adolescents. Prevention strategies such as increasing consumer taxes, the ban on aroma substances in nicotine products and restrictive advertising measures are urgently needed to counteract this trend.

Further information about the substance consumption among young people in Europe offers the as well as detailed evaluations of the Kurier and the Krone .