Smoking and drinking is on the rise among teenagers in Europe, Central Asia and Canada: WHO report

Smoking and drinking is on the rise among teenagers in Europe, Central Asia and Canada, and women now match and even exceed boys in terms of substance use, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated in a brand new report on Thursday.

Data masking all three areas revealed that multiple in two 15-year-olds experimented with alcohol, whereas one in 5 teenagers lately used e-cigarettes, the UN well being company stated, in a name for pressing preventive measures.

“The widespread use of dangerous substances among kids in many international locations throughout the European Region – and past – is a critical public well being menace,” stated Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

“Considering that the mind continues to develop effectively into an individual’s mid-20s, adolescents should be shielded from the results of poisonous and harmful merchandise.”

Alcohol prevails, e-cigarettes comply with

Alcohol use stays prevalent among teenagers; 57 p.c of 15-year-olds declare to have tried it and 37 p.c drinking it inside the final month. Roughly one in 10 younger folks throughout all age teams has skilled vital drunkenness, together with being drunk not less than twice in their lifetime. This charge climbs from 5 per cent at age 13 to twenty p.c by age 15, demonstrating an escalating development in alcohol abuse among kids.

E-cigarettes have additionally surged in recognition, surpassing conventional cigarettes, with 32 p.c of 15-year-olds making an attempt them and 20 p.c utilizing them in the final 30 days. This compares with 25 p.c of 15-year-olds who’ve smoked a traditional cigarette in their lifetime and 15 p.c who tried one in the previous month.

Perhaps surprisingly, hashish use barely declined: 12 p.c of 15-year-olds surveyed tried it in 2022, in contrast with 14 p.c in 2018. Early hashish use can result in dependence and problematic use patterns later in life, the report warns.

The report additionally highlighted that though boys have historically drunk and smoked greater than women, this development seems to be altering, with women both matching and even exceeding boys in smoking, alcohol, and e-cigarette use by age 15.

Harmful product placement

WHO consultants expressed alarm at product placement for all substances in video video games, leisure programmes and different content material geared toward younger folks through multimedia platforms, in a name for the implementation of complete preventive measures.

“Today, kids are continuously uncovered to focused on-line advertising of dangerous merchandise, whereas widespread tradition, like video video games, normalizes them,” Dr Kluge stated. To protect the well being of children, WHO is already working with international locations to guard them from poisonous and addictive merchandise that would have an effect on their high quality of life in the years.

To curb alcohol, nicotine, and tobacco use among kids, WHO desires international locations to boost taxes, prohibit product availability and gross sales places, implement the minimal authorized buying age.

The UN well being company has additionally referred to as for all flavourings to be prohibited, together with menthol, in nicotine and tobacco merchandise, whereas additionally imposing a complete ban on promoting throughout mainstream and social media platforms.