The World Health Organization is sounding the alarm on the use of alcohol and electronic cigarettes in adolescents, calling the widespread use \u201calarming\u201d in a new analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The WHO, in a report<\/u><\/a> published Thursday, said their findings show a \u201cconcerning picture\u201d of substance use in youth, according to data from ages 11, 13 and 15 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among adolescents, with 57 percent of 15-year-olds having tried alcohol at least once, per the report. This trend is slightly higher in girls when compared to boys \u2014 59 percent to 56 percent, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About 37 percent of adolescents across all age groups reported alcohol consumption in the past 30 days, the report added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About 9 percent of adolescents of all age groups said they experienced significant drunkenness, with that rate increasing with age. The rate climbs from 5 percent at age 13 to 20 percent at age 15, while the incidence of drunkenness within the past 30 days jumps from 5 percent among 13-year-olds to 15 percent among those aged 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The WHO said the findings demonstrate how \u201cavailable and normalized alcohol\u201d is for young people and called for improved policy measures to prevent harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe long-term consequences of these trends are significant, and policy-makers cannot afford to ignore these alarming findings,\u201d the WHO wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n E-cigarettes are now more popular than conventional cigarettes, per the report. Nearly 32 percent of 15-year-olds reported e-cigarette use at some point, a number that is 7 percentage points higher than the 25 percent of 15-year-olds who have smoked a conventional cigarette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Slightly more 13-year-old individuals have smoked an e-cigarette compared to conventional cigarettes \u2014 16 percent versus 11 percent, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As for cannabis, 12 percent of 15-year-olds reported at least one-time use of the substance, a slight drop since 2018, when 14 percent reported use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe widespread use of harmful substances among children in many countries across the European Region \u2014 and beyond \u2014 is a serious public health threat,\u201d said Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge,<\/u><\/a> WHO Regional Director for Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey looks at the health behavior of 11, 13 and 15-year-olds and features a section on substance use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n