Health - Drug study: less alcohol and cannabis among teenagers
According to a study, Frankfurt schoolchildren are consuming less alcohol, cigarettes and cannabis. Well over a third of young people between the ages of 15 and 18 even abstain completely from legal and illegal drugs. The extreme fluctuations in the coronavirus year and the year after the pandemic had subsided, said Elke Voitl (Greens), head of the health department. In the corona year, the consumption of alcohol, cannabis and tobacco fell unusually sharply and then rose again all the more sharply. "Now the long-term trend of the majority of young people consuming fewer and fewer addictive substances and taking great care of their health is continuing again."
The figures are based on the representative study "Monitoring System Drug Trends", which has been conducted every year since 2002 by scientists from the Center for Drug Research at Frankfurt's Goethe University.
According to the study, 46% of young people stated that they had drunk alcohol in the past 30 days. 31 percent had been drunk at least once during this period. "These are the second-lowest figures since the survey began," it said. Only in the coronavirus year 2020 was consumption lower.
The consumption of traditional cigarettes, shisha and many illegal substances such as ecstasy, speed and cocaine has also fallen significantly. "In this survey, we are seeing lower lifetime prevalence rates than ever before," said Artur Schroers, Head of the Drugs Unit.
There is a demand for products such as e-cigarettes and tobacco heaters. According to the study, 27 percent of young people have used an e-product in the last 30 days, and a full nine percent of those surveyed vape every day. Chewing bags and nicotine pouches, small pouches that are placed under the upper lip, are new trend drugs. According to the survey, 15 percent of respondents have already tried these pouches, which often contain nicotine. Nitrous oxide is also still in vogue. Compared to the previous year, experience of consumption had risen again, from 13 percent to 17 percent.
At the same time, the researchers recorded an increase in mental health problems: 26% of 15 to 18-year-olds stated that they had suffered from significant mental health problems in the past 12 months (2021: 24%). "That's more than ever before," it said. Depressive moods and depression were mentioned most frequently.
The survey was conducted at Frankfurt schools between November 2022 and February 2023, with a total of 1446 young people taking part. "The results are therefore representative. They show rather small differences compared to other major cities in Germany," said the Centre for Drug Research.
City of Frankfurt on the annual drug report
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The study conducted by Goethe University in Frankfurt highlights a decrease in alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis consumption among Frankfurt's teenagers. Frankfurt's health department head, Elke Voitl, attributed this trend to the extreme fluctuations during and after the coronavirus period. The figure of 46% represents the number of young people who consumed alcohol in the past 30 days, marking the second-lowest figure since the study began. Traditional cigarette and illegal substance consumption, such as ecstasy and cocaine, have also seen significant drops. However, there's an increase in the use of alternative products like e-cigarettes and tobacco heaters. Nitrous oxide consumption has also risen slightly after a decrease the previous year. Unfortunately, the survey revealed an increase in mental health problems among Frankfurt's teenagers, with 26% reporting significant mental health issues during the past 12 months. The study was conducted in Frankfurt's schools between November 2022 and February 2023. The results highlight small differences compared to major cities in Germany. Frankfurt, being situated in the German state of Hesse, has shown trends in drug consumption.
Source: www.stern.de
