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Cyprus teens are vaping like never before. The latest ESPAD 2024 survey reveals that one in ten 16-year-old students use e-cigarettes daily, placing the island among Europe’s highest for teen vaping. Cannabis remains the most popular substance, cocaine use is creeping up, and offline gambling continues to draw a surprising number of students, painting a worrying picture of youth habits on the island.
Vaping reaches new highs
E-cigarette use among teenagers in Cyprus has reached worrying levels, according to the latest ESPAD 2024 survey on alcohol and other drugs. The survey, the largest of its kind in Europe, found that 11% of 16-year-old students in Cyprus vape daily, one of the highest rates among the 37 participating countries.
Hookah smoking is also common, placing Cyprus near the top for use in the past month. While traditional cigarette smoking has stabilized at low levels, the popularity of e-cigarettes and hookahs suggests that nicotine addiction is simply taking a new form.
Cannabis on top, cocaine on the rise
Cannabis remains the most widely used illegal substance among students, followed by inhalants and stimulants. There’s been a small drop in overall cannabis use compared to 2019, but an increase among girls.
Even more concerning, researchers found that more students believe it’s easy to find cannabis if they want it, pointing to a lack of effective safeguards. The report also noted an increase in cocaine use, though it remains less common overall.
Alcohol use down, but still above average
For once, there’s a small piece of good news: alcohol use among Cyprus teens has slightly declined, particularly among boys. However, binge drinking, five or more drinks on one occasion, has increased among girls, keeping Cyprus above the European average for overall alcohol consumption.
Roughly 42% of students said they drank alcohol in the past month, about 2% higher than the ESPAD average. While alcohol is still easy to get, students in Cyprus rate its availability as “medium” compared to other countries.
The gambling habit
The survey also found that many students are betting money, mostly offline rather than online. About one in four Cypriot students gamble in person, compared to just 15% online. Still, the rate of offline gambling has decreased since the previous survey.
About the survey
The ESPAD survey is coordinated by the Cyprus Addiction Treatment Authority (CATA), in cooperation with KENTHEA and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth. Cyprus has participated since 1995, providing insight into the changing habits and risks among the island’s youth.
