EU Drug Agency: teenagers across Europe use fewer substances but new risks emerging

While substance use among 15-16-year-old students in Europe continues its long-term decline, new behavioural and health risks are on the rise. The latest findings from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), released in May, flag growing concerns over increasing e-cigarette use, the non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs, and a sharp uptick in online gaming and gambling among teenagers. The findings also reveal a noticeable increase in risky behaviours among girls across several areas. 

The study, carried out in collaboration with the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and coordinated by the Italian National Research Council, is based on a 2024 survey in 37 European countries, including Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and 25 EU Member States.

Fewer European teenagers are drinking alcohol and smoking traditional cigarettes, but e-cigarette use is rising, according to the 2024 ESPAD survey.

Lifetime alcohol use among 15-16-year-olds has steadily declined over 30 years — from 88 per cent in 1995 to 74 percent in 2024 (data referring to 32 countries included in the trend analyses). Current use (last 30 days) also fell from 55 per cent to 43 per cent in the same period.

Cigarette smoking is following a similar downward trend, against a backdrop of tobacco policy measures introduced over the last two decades. Lifetime cigarette use among students fell by more than half, from 68 per cent in 1995 to 32 per cent in 2024. 

In contrast, e-cigarette use is on the rise. Data from 32 countries that collected information on e‑cigarette use for both 2019 and 2024 show that current use rose from 14 per cent to 22 percent during this period (lifetime use increased from 41 per cent to 43 per cent). 

Data shows a continued decline in illicit drug use in this age group, with lifetime prevalence dropping from 19 per cent in 2015 to 14 per cent in 2024. Cannabis is still the most commonly used illicit drug, although lifetime use has declined to 12 per cent from a peak of 18 per cent in 2003 (11 per cent in 1995).

Non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs is a growing concern, with lifetime use now standing at 14 per cent. Girls consistently report higher rates (16 per cent vs. 11 per cent). Tranquillisers and sedatives are the most frequently misused (8.5 per cent), followed by painkillers (6.9 per cent) and attention/hyperactivity medications (3.4 per cent). 

While overall gambling rates have remained relatively stable since 2015, online gambling has risen sharply, with 14 per cent of respondents reporting this practice in 2024, nearly doubling from 8 per cent in 2019. The growth is especially pronounced among girls, whose online gambling tripled from 3 per cent in 2019 to 9 per cent in 2024. Boys remain more active gamblers overall (29 per cent vs. 16 per cent for girls) and are twice as likely to gamble online (20 per cent vs. 8.7 per cent). 

Amid ongoing social and economic challenges, the 2024 ESPAD survey used the WHO-5 Well-Being Index to assess youth mental health for the first time. Overall, 59 per cent of students reported good well-being (a score above 50 out of 100), with boys (70 per cent) consistently scoring higher than girls (49 per cent) across all countries. Northern Europe reported the highest self-reported well-being levels, while Ukraine showed the lowest (43 pe rcent), potentially resulting from the impact of conflict on young people’s mental health and access to care. In Georgia, the score is almost 68 per cent, and in Moldova it is around 61 per cent.

Find out more

Press release

Key findings from the 2024 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD)