EUROPE: Teenagers consume less tobacco.

The survey, conducted under the aegis of the Europe Office of the World Health Organization and published on Tuesday, analyzes the evolution of risk behaviors of young people in the European Union.

Encouraging figures but not yet satisfactory. The share of young Europeans who have smoked or been drunk before the age of 14 years has significantly decreased thanks to the prevention campaigns conducted in recent years, says a study conducted in 42 countries and published Tuesday in Copenhagen. Data that confirms the results of a survey conducted by the French Observatory of Drugs and Toximania (OFDT), published last January. According to this study, alcohol consumption is declining among 10-15 years, and smoking is down slightly. Realized all the 4 years under the aegis of the office Europe from the World Health Organization (WHO), the international survey HBSC (Health behavior in school-aged children) allows to describe all the health behaviors of the students of 11, 13 and 15 years.

A later consumption of tobacco and alcohol

Whereas for the 2009-2010 period, almost a quarter (24%) young Europeans surveyed reported having smoked their first cigarette before the age of 14 years, they were only 17% in the last study conducted in 2013 / 2014. The decline was stronger among girls (from 22% to 13%) than in boys (from 26% to 22%). However, while smoking is decreasing among young people, cannabis use is stagnating, as established by the OFDT survey. In fact, nearly one in ten students in 4e (11%) and a quarter of 3e students (24%) declare having already smoked cannabis at least once. Figures similar to those revealed by the OFDT survey conducted during the 2013 year.

Among the other findings, the study notes that socio-economic factors play a limited role in the consumption of alcohol or tobacco, contrary to what happens with good eating habits or mental well-being, more directly correlated income levels of families.

Source : Le Figaro