Filenews 4 December 2020 - by Panagiota Charalambous
Reduction in conventional cigarette smoking among 16-year-old students in Cyprus, but alarming rates of daily e-cigarette use and daily hookah use, notes the report of the European Student Population Research Programme on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) conducted for the year 2019 on students aged 16 from 35 European countries.
As far as alcohol is concerned, there is a decrease in consumption, but Cyprus continues to exceed the research average, while in relation to illegal substances cannabis remains the most widespread substance of use among students, but our country is among the countries with low rates. Third in the list is our country in terms of betting, with Cypriot students betting money far more than European students.
The survey is conducted every four years and the seventh series of the survey was conducted in 2019. Cyprus has been participating in the programme since the beginning, i.e. since 1995, while since 2011 the research has been carried out in cooperation with the Cyprus Addiction Response Authority, KENTHEA and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth.
Smoking
There is a decrease in conventional cigarette smoking among 16-year-olds in Cyprus and the percentage of students who have reported smoking in the last 30 days is below the ESPAD average. Worryingly, however, are the percentages of daily e-cigarette use in the last month by students in Cyprus, as well as the daily use of hookah.
In more detail:
As shown below, the proportion of students who reported smoking in the last 30 days after a stabilisation period decreases and is below the survey average.
However, when the use of e-cigarettes, which are not included in previous series of the survey, the rate of use among students in Cyprus increases from 14% to 23% compared to the corresponding average of the survey of 27%.
As far as the gender differences are concerned, among girls the reduction in conventional cigarette smoking is much smaller than that among boys.
At the same time, when the use of e-cigarettes is taken into account, smoking in the last month among boys increases to 29%, while among girls to 18%.
With regard to conventional cigarette smoking on a daily basis, reported by 7.6% of pupils in the year 2019, it is further reduced compared to previous years and is at a lower rate than the survey average (10%).
With regard to the use of e-cigarettes, while the proportion of pupils who reported using it at least once in a lifetime significantly exceeds the average of the survey, especially by boys, when comparing the use of e-cigarettes in the last month, this difference ceases to exist.
Where Cyprus seems to exceed the average of research is in the daily use of e-cigarettes.
Also, the percentage of students in Cyprus, both among boys and among girls, who reported hookah use in the last month, significantly exceeds the average survey.
Compared to the other 34 countries surveyed in 2019, Cyprus has the highest rates of hookah use in the last month.
Alcohol
There has been a decrease in the consumption of alcohol by students in Cyprus, both in their consumption over the last month and in their excessive consumption (5+ alcoholic beverages in one case). Nevertheless, Cyprus continues to exceed the survey average. Concern is caused by the frequency of alcohol consumption in the last month.
In more detail:
There is a significant decrease in the proportion of pupils who reported alcohol consumption during the 30 days and in the year 2019 this decrease applies to both boys and girls.
However, this figure is 10% above the survey average, which was 47% of all pupils.
The frequency of alcohol consumption in the last month by students in Cyprus is also a concern.
However, although students in Cyprus seem to consume alcohol more often than students in Europe, the average amount of alcohol (in cl pure alcohol) consumed by students in Cyprus is at lower rates than the survey average. Also with regard to intoxication in the last month, the proportion of pupils who reported such behaviour (11%) is lower than the corresponding survey average (13%).
With regard to excessive alcohol consumption, i.e. consumption of five or more drinks on one occasion in the last month, there has been a significant reduction in this dangerous way of drinking compared to the previous series of research, both among boys and among girls.
Compared to other countries surveyed, as far as all students are concerned, Cyprus has been at an average level of excessive alcohol consumption over the last month.
However, excessive alcohol consumption over the last month among boys (44%), continues to significantly exceed the survey average (36%).
Also, the perceived availability of alcohol (percentage of students who find it easy/very easy to find alcohol), continues to be at very high levels compared to other countries and significantly exceeds the average of the survey.
BETTING
When it comes to betting, students in Cyprus seem to be betting money far more than European students.
The difference from the survey average is particularly large among boys (40% of boys in Cyprus compared to 22% which is the average survey for boys).
Also, based on the Lie/Bet scale used in the survey to estimate the percentage of students who are problem players, it appears that 6.6% of students have problem betting (compared to 5% of European students). The
this difference is particularly evident among boys, 9.3% of whom were problem players, compared to 6.3% who were the average of the survey among boys.
As far as the category of play is concerned, the biggest difference between pupils in the Cyprus and students in Europe are in betting rates on games such as Lotto, Joker, Scrats, Bingo, Kino etc.
Also, betting rates among students in Cyprus are much higher offline (33%, compared to 16% online). Compared to the previous series of research, it appears that the proportion of students betting money offline has increased.
EXPENDITURE SUBSTANCES
Cannabis remains the most prevalent substance of use among students, followed by inhaled substances and stimulants. In general there is a slight increase in the extent of the use of illegal addictive substances, but this is not statistically significant. With regard to general levels of use among pupils, Cyprus is one of the countries with low rates.
In more detail:
Cannabis remains the most prevalent substance of use among students, followed by inhaled substances and stimulants. Compared to the research average, cannabis use is at much lower levels, while the use of other substances is at similar levels, in addition to stimulants.
With regard to trends over time, compared to the year 2015 there has been a slight increase in cannabis use at least once, but this among all pupils is not statistically significant. While among girls there is a stabilisation in the use of the substance, this does not appear to be the case among boys, where there is an increase in cannabis use at least once.
With regard to other periods of cannabis use, the increase mainly concerns the testing of cannabis, while the current use of the substance (in the last month) has remained at constant levels since 2011.
Compared to other countries surveyed, Cyprus is also among countries with low rates of problematic cannabis use.
With regard to the perceived availability of cannabis, over time there seems to be an increase in the percentage of students in Cyprus who feel that it is easy/ very easy to find cannabis if they want to.
The purpose of the survey is, inter alia, to:
• To assess the extent and patterns of use of legal and illegal addictive substances) in the student population, as well as to capture pupils' perceptions of substance use.
• To assess the extent and patterns of other addictive behaviours, such as pathological involvement with the internet, computer games and gambling.
• To assess the trends over time in the above behaviors.
• To compare the situation in our country with that in the other European countries participating in the European ESPAD programme.
Methodology of research
• Conduct according to standard methodology and common questionnaire
• Target group - 16-year-old students (born in 2003)
• Sampling framework: all public and private lyceums and technical schools (1st grade)
• Final (valid) sample - 1,214 students
