Filenews 28 October 2024 - by Evangelia Sizopoulou
- Under the microscope and smoking but also the use of cannabis
- From the age of 11 they experienced alcohol and drunkenness
- Interesting WHO research data for our island
Not only have they drunk, but they have been drunk at least once in their lives. The reason for almost 29% of 15-year-olds in Cyprus, 11.5% of 13-year-olds and 4.7% of 11-year-olds. At the same time, about 2% of boys consumed alcohol that led to intoxication more than ten times over a 30-day period.
The above data result from the national report concerning the data of our country, the result of the international survey of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the behaviours of children in various fields, such as mental health, sexual health, etc., data that "F" also presented in his recent reports.
Regarding the part "alcohol and smoking" and those concerning children in Cyprus, as recorded by the Center for Educational Research and Evaluation (KEEA) of the Pedagogical Institute, the general findings show the following:
>> More boys (48.1%) than girls (44.4%) and older children have tried alcohol.
>> 15% of children say they have consumed alcohol to the point of intoxication.
>> The majority of children have never smoked a conventional cigarette or e-cigarette. The percentage of this category for boys is 91.8% and for girls 80.4%.
>> A small number of children (less than 5%) say they are frequent smokers.
>> 15-year-olds as well as boys are more likely to be frequent smokers.
>> There may be a misconception among children that e-cigarettes are a safer option than conventional smoking as the use of the former is much higher than the latter.
>> There is a tendency among adolescents to try alternative forms of smoking, such as hookah smoking.
>> A small number of children, again more boys, state that they often smoke hookah.
>> A small number of adolescents (about 7%) aged 15 have tried cannabis. About 5% of them (a percentage that concerns only boys) said they regularly use cannabis.
Behaviour and habits of children
Therefore, based on the above, three main sections emerge which are examined in the research. These are alcohol, smoking and cannabis use. Each of these categories has its own data regarding the behaviour and habits of children in Cyprus. Analytically:
ALCOHOL: In relation to alcohol consumption, apart from the basic element concerning drunkenness as it has been presented in the projection of the report, it seems that almost half of children in Cyprus (46.4%) state that throughout their lives they have drunk an alcoholic beverage at least 1-2 days. According to the report, this may indicate children's degree of curiosity and/or desire to try alcohol.
Older children reported more frequent alcohol consumption, as more than 7 out of 10 children (73%) consumed alcohol for at least 1-2 days in their entire lives. Similarly, over the past 30 days surveyed, nearly half of 15-year-olds (46.7%) consumed alcohol.
Also, as noted above, 28.9% of 15-year-olds in Cyprus, 11.5% of 13-year-olds and 4.7% of 11-year-olds stated that they have been drunk at least once.
SMOKING AND E-CIGARETTES: As far as smoking is concerned, the data may be somewhat more positive and encouraging in relation to alcohol consumption, however, there are also points that ring a bell around the habits and perceptions of children and adolescents.
In particular, a high percentage of children in Cyprus state that they have never smoked a cigarette. These percentages depending on age are: 97.5% for 11-year-olds, 94.5% for 13-year-olds and 82.8% for 15-year-olds.
However, to the above picture is added the percentage of children who stated not only that they smoked once but that they are frequent smokers. More than 1% of 13-year-olds and more than 5% of 15-year-olds say they are frequent smokers. It is also important to note that in Cyprus as the age of children increases, so does the number of children who have smoked cigarettes.
Of particular interest are the data concerning the electronic cigarette, as it seems that among children there is a perception that it is safer. Evidence shows that e-cigarette use is increasing dramatically among adolescents. It is enough to note that compared to the percentage of students who declare frequent smokers of conventional cigarettes, the percentage of electronic use is higher. Specifically, 2.8% of 13-year-olds and 7.7% of 15-year-olds say they are frequent e-cigarette users, while about one in six 15-year-olds and about 5% of 13-year-olds have used e-cigarettes more than "20 to 29 days" or "30 days and more" in their entire lives.
HOOKAHS FOR... YOUTH: Hookah smoking has begun to spread in recent years in more and more countries in Europe and as data show, it is more common among adolescents and youth than among adults. Regarding what the survey has recorded, it appears that a high percentage of children in Cyprus have not smoked hookah (96.1% of 11-year-olds, 87.7% of 13-year-olds and 66.2% of 15-year-olds). However, there is an exception: One in three 15-year-olds (33.9%), 12.4% of 13-year-olds and 4% of 11-year-olds have used a hookah-type device at least 1-2 days in their entire lives. At the same time, however, 1.5% of 13-year-olds and 4.5% of 15-year-olds say they are frequent hookah users. As for gender, and in this case, the highest percentage concerns boys.
CANNABIS USE: In this section of the survey, 7.1% of adolescents aged 15 have stated that at some point in their lives they have used cannabis. 2.7% say they have used cannabis frequently, while 5% say they use it exclusively for boys on a daily basis.
The section on cannabis seems to be of particular concern, not only to the competent bodies in Cyprus but also to the WHO worldwide, as, as noted, recent scientific evidence has shown that cannabis can be particularly harmful, especially for school-age children, who use it frequently.
