WHO study finds rise in drug abuse among European teens

WHO study finds rise in drug abuse among European teens
WILL HARDIE

STOCKHOLM, FEB 20: Abuse of alcohol and illicit drugs by school children aged 15-16 has increased sharply in many European countries in the last five years, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report obtained by Reuters on Tuesday.

The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), due to be published later on Tuesday, found that illicit drug use rose in almost all the 30 European countries surveyed, but fell in Britain and Ireland.

Still, Britons remained Europe’s worst teenage drug users, with 36 percent of 15 and 16 year old girls having dabbled in one drug or other by 1999. \ That compares to 42 percent in 1995. Irish drug use also dropped sharply to 32 percent in 1999 from 37 percent, while the Czech Republic overtook Ireland, moving into second place as its proportion of children who had tried drugs rocketed to 35 percent from 23 percent. A large increase in the number of children who had used cannabis was the main reason for the Czech rise, the study said. Cannabis use also jumped in Poland, making Polish teenagers Europe’s equal biggest marijuana smokers alongside Britons.

Especially worrying was an increase in binge drinking, especially in Britain, Denmark, Ireland and Poland, the study said. More than 30 percent of school children in those countries reported binge drinking defined as five drinks in a row three or more times in the last month.

Officials said binge drinking was a particular problem because even if overall drinking fell, children were at particular risk when very drunk to dangers such as alcohol poisoning, accidents and unwanted sex. ‘‘Both alcohol and illicit drug use have increased markedly in many ESPAD countries, especially in the central and eastern parts of Europe,’’ the report said. ‘‘However, the high prevalence countries are still mainly to be found in the western parts.’’

Tobacco smoking was well established by the mid-teens in most countries and showed few signs of diminishing since the previous ESPAD survey in 1995, it said.