More gambling addicts and young smokers in Switzerland
Published: Thursday, Mar 21st 2024, 06:11
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The Swiss Addiction Foundation has identified a higher consumption of nicotine products among young people in Switzerland as well as more gambling and gambling addicts. The foundation is therefore calling for more preventive measures to protect young people in particular.
The proportion of online gamblers with problematic gambling and gambling behavior appears to have doubled within three years, writes the foundation in its "Swiss Addiction Panorama 2024" report published on Thursday. Mostly younger men are affected. On average, the debt amounts to around 88,000 francs.
Video games and social networks also pose risks: around 3% of 15-year-olds exhibit problematic behavior when playing video games. In the case of social networks, the figure is a good 7 percent of 15-year-olds.
The foundation is calling for regulatory measures in this area and for politicians to provide better protection for young people in particular. Overall, media literacy should be promoted among children, young people and adults. In addition, the early detection of problematic behavior must be promoted.
More snus and e-cigarettes
The foundation is concerned about the increase in cigarette consumption among 13-year-olds. Six percent of them had smoked at least once in the month before the survey, which represents a doubling compared to 2018.
The consumption of nicotine products by young people has increased overall. Around a third of 15-year-olds had consumed at least one nicotine product at the time of the survey. This was due to the emergence of snus products and disposable e-cigarettes of the "puff bar" type. Consumption of the latter in particular has increased among girls.
At the same time, the consumption of conventional cigarettes had not declined among young people. Among adults, on the other hand, the slight decline in cigarette consumption was compensated for by other nicotine products.
More binge drinkers
The proportion of people who drink alcohol every day has fallen by around half since 1992. However, 11 percent of women and 19 percent of men get drunk at least once a month, according to the report.
Around a quarter of 15-year-olds had consumed five or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion in the 30 days prior to the survey, compared to 17% of 13-year-olds. The foundation is therefore calling for the ban on sales to young people, in particular the ban on night-time sales, to finally be enforced consistently. Prices should also be increased and advertising restricted.
Mixed consumption of medication
Furthermore, mixed drug use and drug use is widespread among young people. 12 percent of 15-year-olds have already had experience of this. Prevention must be stepped up here too, the foundation wrote.
Sales of potentially addictive sleeping pills and tranquillizers remained stable at a high level. However, there has been a slight decline in sales of opioid painkillers.
Fewer stoners
Cannabis use remains fairly stable overall. Among 15-year-olds, it is also continuing to decline: 12.1 percent of boys and 8.4 percent of girls had used cannabis in the month before the survey. Less than 1 percent of pupils used cannabis on at least 10 days of the month.
It is difficult for the foundation to determine the cause of the growing use of cocaine, especially in the form of smokable crack and freebase. There are several factors here, for example lower prices and new consumer groups.
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