The World Health Organization sounds the alarm about alcohol and e-cigarette use in teens, calling the widespread use “alarming” in a new analysis.
The WHO, in a report published Thursday, said their findings paint a “worrying picture” of substance use among young people, according to data from ages 11, 13 and 15.
Alcohol is the most consumed substance among teenagers, with 57% of 15-year-olds having tried alcohol at least once, according to the report. This trend is slightly higher for girls compared to boys – 59% to 56%, respectively.
About 37% of teenagers across all age groups reported drinking alcohol in the last 30 days, the report added.
About 9 percent of teens across all age groups said they had experienced significant drunkenness, with this rate increasing with age. The rate rises from 5% at 13 years of age to 20% at 15 years of age, while the incidence of drunkenness in the last 30 days jumps from 5% among 13-year-olds to 15% among 15-year-olds.
The WHO said the findings demonstrate the extent to which “alcohol is available and normalized” is for young people and called for better policy measures to prevent harm.
“The long-term consequences of these trends are significant and policymakers cannot afford to ignore these alarming findings,” the WHO wrote.
E-cigarettes are now more popular than conventional cigarettes, according to the report. Almost 32% of 15-year-olds reported using an electronic cigarette at some point, a number 7 percentage points higher than the 25% of 15-year-olds who smoked a conventional cigarette.
Slightly more 13-year-olds smoked an e-cigarette compared to conventional cigarettes – 16% versus 11%, respectively.
As for cannabis, 12 percent of 15-year-olds reported using the substance at least once, a slight drop from 2018, when 14 percent reported use.
“The widespread use of harmful substances among children in many countries in the European region — and beyond — is a serious threat to public health,” said Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
The Health Behavior in School-Age Children survey analyzes the health behavior of children aged 11, 13 and 15 and presents a section on substance use.
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