Teenagers, facing addictions: we are above the European average in alcohol consumption, tobacco and online addiction

Our country is facing an alarming increase in risky behaviors among adolescents, according to the latest ESPAD 2024 Report (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs), published by the European Union Agency for Drugs (EUDA). Our country is above the European average in alcohol consumption, smoking, gambling and digital addiction, while in drug consumption the report positions us below the European average, but at a "worryingly high" level, according to the Minister of Education, Daniel David.

"Drug consumption in Romania, in schools, is below the European average, but it is not a reason for satisfaction. Unfortunately, we are above the European average in alcohol consumption, smoking, gambling and online addiction", declared the Minister of Education and Research, Daniel David, during a debate organized in Sibiu. The official drew attention to the lack of mental health specialists and centers dedicated to young people, emphasizing that many of the prevention activities carried out in schools were "uncoordinated and lacking a unified strategy.” In this regard, the Ministry of Education has developed an intervention model with three major components: Cleanliness around schools - zero tolerance for drugs and dealers, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior; Education and awareness in schools - introducing topics about healthy lifestyles, addiction prevention and personal self-knowledge into the curriculum; Involvement of parents and medical specialists - strengthening the partnership between school, family and mental health services.

• Specialist crisis: only 5 pediatric psychiatrists per 100,000 inhabitants

Present at the event, Ciprian Băcilă, the elected president of the Romanian Association of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (ARPP) and medical director of the "Dr. Gheorghe Preda” Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry in Sibiu, warned of the profound crisis in human resources in the field of mental health. "Romania has approximately 260 doctors in the specialty of pediatric psychiatry, meaning only 5 specialists per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 29 in Germany. There are counties without any doctor in this specialty, and in many rural localities the services are completely lacking,” explained Băcilă. He proposed the development of telemedicine and mobile intervention teams, as well as the introduction of a mental health training program for teachers. "Teachers spend the most time with children and can be the first to notice attention, behavior or anxiety disorders,” the doctor emphasized.

• Youth addictions: alarming figures from the "Save the Children” study

For her part, Gabriela Alexandrescu, executive president of the "Save the Children” Romania organization, drew attention to "a silent crisis” of addictions among children and adolescents. The data collected by the organization shows that: 14% of children have gambled for money; 40% have acquaintances who gamble;

1 in 10 children has a family member addicted to gambling; 8 in 10 adolescents consume alcohol; 50% have smoked different types of cigarettes, including electronic ones; 1 in 2 adolescents is at high risk of digital addiction. "Many children are alone at home, have their parents away or live in vulnerable families. It is vital to bring health education into the school curriculum, to help them make healthy choices in a world full of temptations and risks,” said Alexandrescu.

According to the ESPAD 2024 Report, conducted on a sample of over 113,000 students from 37 European countries, including 8,543 students from Romania, our country occupies worrying positions: 4th place in Europe in tobacco consumption; 8 out of 10 teenagers consume alcohol; 1 out of 4 have had access to gambling; 1 out of 2 have tried electronic cigarettes; Romania is above the EU average in excessive use of social networks and time spent online. The report shows that, at the European level, the general trend is towards a decrease in alcohol and tobacco consumption, but Romania and several states in the east of the continent contradict this trend, recording constant increases in these behaviors.

At the end of the debate organized by MP Raluca Turcan in partnership with "Save the Children" Romania, health and education specialists called for a coherent national strategy to prevent addictions, which would include: a mandatory mental health curriculum; regional networks of youth counseling centers; training programs for teachers and parents; sustainable funding for prevention, not just treatment.