The 2024 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) has delivered crucial insights into the behavior of 15- to 16-year-old students across 37 European nations, including Greece.
Representing the largest cross-national study of its kind, the survey—which involved 113,883 participants—documents evolving trends in alcohol, tobacco, psychoactive substance use, and other addictive behaviors. The latest results highlight significant shifts in adolescent habits, perceptions, and access to addiction-linked activities.
Greece: Concern about teens’ habits
Data reveals Greek adolescents surpass the European average in nearly all smoking metrics. A striking 54% report having tried a traditional or e-cigarette, significantly higher than the European average of 48%.
Access to these products is also reported as “easy” by a much higher percentage of Greek teens. Of particular alarm is the surge in e-cigarette use and evidence of initial experimentation at ages as young as 13.
While overall alcohol consumption in Greece is at a 25-year low, access for Greek adolescents is among the easiest in Europe.
Moreover, 16-year-olds show higher prevalence than their European counterparts in almost every key drinking category: lifetime use, recent use (last month), binge drinking (5+ drinks on one occasion), and incidents of being drunk. The latter two high-risk indicators have shown a clear increase over the last five years.
In the realm of illicit and other substances, Greek rates now meet or slightly exceed the European average. There is a growing trend in the use of inhalants (such as glue or petrol) and non-medically prescribed strong opioid painkillers. Disturbingly, more Greek teens report that accessing cannabis, cocaine, or non-prescription tranquilizers is easy—a perception that runs counter to the downward trend observed elsewhere in Europe since 2011.
Gambling and digital risks
The survey also flags a critical situation regarding gambling and betting, where Greece registers one of the highest participation rates in Europe, with 11% of adolescents reporting involvement, double the European average of 6%.
The national Greek component of the study was conducted by EPIPSY, funded by the Ministry of Health, and involved 6,810 students from 488 school units.
The broader European landscape
Pan-European results confirm a continued long-term decline in the use of traditional substances like alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. However, this progress is undercut by a parallel rise in new, high-risk behaviors: the adoption of e-cigarettes, the non-medical use of psychoactive pharmaceuticals, a rapid expansion of gambling, and the excessive use of social media and online gaming.
A notable trend is the narrowing of the gender gap in risk-taking. High-risk behaviors, historically more common among boys, are now being recorded equally or even more frequently among girls.
The report concludes that while the reduction in traditional substance use is a positive development, it does not equal a reduction in overall risk. The new mix of psychoactive substance use and digital addictions represents a “new and complex public health challenge.”
