The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) released its 2024 report on Tuesday, October 21. According to the ESPAD news release ("European school survey project on alcohol and other drugs (ESPAD): 30 years," ESPAD, Oct. 21, 2025):
"The 2024 ESPAD findings relate to students’ experience of, and perceptions about, a variety of substances, including: tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, inhalants, pharmaceuticals and new psychoactive substances (NPS). Social media use, gaming and gambling are also covered. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, ESPAD has also strengthened its focus on adolescent mental well-being. This survey round included a new focus on mental well-being and prevention activities, recognising the growing importance of these factors in shaping adolescent health outcomes."
Briefly, the survey found:
"Teenage drinking, smoking and cannabis use continue to decline but new behavioural and health risks are on the rise. The report flags growing concerns over increasing e-cigarette use, the non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs and a sharp rise in social media use, online gaming and gambling among teenagers. These trends are most striking among girls, where long-standing gender gaps in substance use appear to be narrowing, or even reversing."