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Tag: ESPAD

  • Greece Wants to Break Minors from Buying Tobacco, Alcohol

    Greece Wants to Break Minors from Buying Tobacco, Alcohol

    In the 2024 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), 77% of Greek 16-year-olds said they could buy e-cigarettes without checks and 65% said the same for cigarettes and tobacco. Ninety-two percent said it was easy to buy alcohol, in a culture where it’s not uncommon for children to buy such products to bring home to their parents. The government, however, wants that to change. 

    Proposed legislation would require checking identification to make sure buyers are of legal age, including for products such as vapes and cannabis items, with fines up to €10,000 ($11,385) and possible business closure.

    The bill has a digital registry for sellers and creates a specialized unit in the national health agency to monitor product circulation. ESPAD data showed 37% of teens reported binge drinking and 52% used vapes. 

  • ESPAD Ireland Sees All-Time Low in Smoking, Vape on Rise 

    ESPAD Ireland Sees All-Time Low in Smoking, Vape on Rise 

    Ireland recorded its lowest levels of teenage smoking and alcohol consumption in three decades, according to the 2024 Irish report of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD). However, the findings saw increases in e-cigarette use, alternative nicotine products, and adolescent gambling.

    ESPAD Ireland said 12% of students reported being current smokers, with daily smoking falling to just 2%, both all-time lows in Ireland’s 30 years of participating in the survey. However, 32% of respondents said they had tried e-cigarettes, and 7% reported daily use. Of those who tried vaping, 76% never used a cigarette. Cannabis use also dropped from 19% in 2019 to 12% in 2024.

    “While the downward trend is encouraging, the data also reveals the continuing challenge: young people are still being drawn into tobacco and nicotine use—be it cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or emerging nicotine products,” said Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy. “We must act decisively to break this cycle.”