Teenagers in Austria are lighting up fewer cigarettes and cutting back on alcohol, but that doesn’t mean they’re steering clear of addictive habits altogether. Instead, many are turning to newer products like e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches - and a significant number are struggling with mental health issues that can fuel risky behaviours.
These are some of the key findings from the latest ESPAD survey on Austrian schoolchildren, which paints a complex picture of how young people’s attitudes and habits around substance use are shifting in 2024, according to Die Presse.
Less alcohol, but still widespread
Alcohol use among 14- to 17-year-olds is still fairly common, with 60 percent of students saying they drank alcohol in the last month. About one in five reported drinking six or more times per month or getting heavily drunk at least once during that time, as reported by Die Presse.
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However, there’s a clear long-term trend toward more teens avoiding alcohol altogether. Between 2007 and 2024, the number of young people who have never consumed alcohol has quadrupled, and the proportion of those who haven’t drunk in the last 30 days has doubled.
In other words, while drinking is still part of youth culture, sobriety is on the rise - and for some teens, it’s becoming the norm rather than the exception.
E-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are replacing cigarettes
Smoking habits have changed dramatically in the past two decades. In 2003, nearly half of teens had smoked a conventional cigarette. In 2024, that figure has dropped to 23 percent.
However, that doesn’t mean nicotine use is disappearing.
On the contrary, e-cigarettes have surged in popularity, with use among students quadrupling from 7 to 29 percent. For the first time, more Austrian teens are using e-cigarettes than traditional ones, according to the ESPAD findings.
Nicotine pouches - small, tobacco-free sachets placed between the lip and gum - are also gaining ground, reflecting a broader trend of new nicotine products entering the market.
Altogether, 57 percent of students have tried at least one nicotine product (including e-cigarettes, pouches, tobacco heaters or water pipes), over a third used one in the past 30 days, and nearly one in five use them daily or almost daily.
Mental health and addiction are closely linked
The ESPAD data also highlights the link between mental well-being and substance use. One in four teenagers reported low levels of well-being, and about 10 percent showed signs of high psychological stress - with girls more affected than boys.
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Teens who reported psychological stress were also more likely to engage in behaviours associated with addiction, including excessive social media use, substance consumption, and the use of sleeping pills and tranquillizers.
Roughly a third of teens said they play digital games daily, with boys significantly more likely to report problematic gaming. Girls, on the other hand, more frequently reported issues related to social media overuse.
Although 10 percent of pupils had participated in gambling at least once, only a very small number said they do so weekly.
The 2024 ESPAD survey, based on responses from 7,735 ninth and tenth-grade students in Austria, is part of a broader European study that included 37 countries. The Austrian findings were compiled by Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG) on behalf of the Ministry of Health, as outlined by Die Presse.
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