Alcohol and Tobacco Use Sees Significant Drop
A new national study on youth addiction and risky behavior shows that alcohol and tobacco use among teenagers in Madeira has gone down since 2019. In 2019, more than half (54%) of students aged 13 to 18 reported drinking alcohol. That number has now fallen significantly to 40.6%.
Tobacco use has also dropped sharply - from 29.2% to 14%. These results make Madeira the region with the lowest alcohol use among young people in the country and the second lowest for smoking.
Girls Use More Pills, Boys Use More Illegal Drugs
The study found that girls are more likely to smoke, drink, and take sedatives and painkillers, while boys are more likely to use illegal drugs. These include substances like cannabis, which saw a small increase in use - from 3.6% to 4.6%. While the rise is not large, experts say it is still worrying and requires attention.
The recommendation is that, ideally, children under two years old should not even be exposed to screens, and all technology use should include parental controls, with constant guidance
Online Gaming Is Common, Raising Concerns Among Experts
Online gaming is now part of everyday life for most teens in Madeira. According to the study, nearly 80% of students play games online -higher than the national average. Health officials are concerned about this trend.
Gambling at a Young Age Still a Risk
The study also looked at gambling among students. In Madeira, 17.8% of students said they had gambled for money. While this is slightly below the national average (over 18%), it is still considered high.
Over 1,300 Students Surveyed in Madeira
The data comes from a national study conducted in 2024. It surveyed more than 11,000 students across Portugal, including over 1,300 students between 13 and 18 from 15 schools in Madeira. The study focused on alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gambling, gaming, and other addictive behaviors among youth. It offers a closer look at how teens in Madeira are living today - and the risks they face.
Source: RTP Madeira
Care for a share?
Comments