The recent European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs, conducted among 15 and 16-year-old students showed that 82% of Maltese youths have abused alcohol in their lifetime, in comparison with the European average of 79%, while 34% admitted to drinking alcohol even before the age of 13.

Notwithstanding this, between 2015 and 2019, alcohol use within the last 12 months prior to the survey decreased from 31% to 25%, and the heavy episodes of drinking a month prior to the survey decreased from 47% to 40%.

Lifetime use of cigarettes amongst youths also reported a decrease from 29% to 22%. However, a worrying concern lies with those aged 13 or younger, as it has been reported that they too have resorted to smoking, with 2% affirming that they have started smoking daily. This is certainly one area that needs particular attention in our prevention programmes in schools.

Alcohol and cigarettes are relatively easily accessible items, and youths can have relatively easy access to them from within the home as well as from entertainment establishments. Legislation is important and necessary; however, setting good examples are even more effective. Responsible drinking by adults at home, educating that alcohol is a drink for adults only, that celebrations do not necessarily need to be accompanied by alcohol, and that alcohol and driving never mix (no matter the legal limits), are important messages than need to keep rolling. These are crucial in order to develop a culture of responsible use of alcohol. 

In this regard, we need to look at alcohol advertising, and in particular the fact that minors can purchase alcohol even from supermarkets even if not for their own consumption. A culture for responsible use of alcohol depends on many aspects and all these need to point in the same direction for a sustained effect.

Fortunately, the abuse of illicit drugs is less widespread than alcohol and cigarette use. In this case, only 12% reported such abuse during their lifetime, compared with the European average of 17%.

A rather surprising observation is the fact that girls more than boys are using alcohol and tobacco; 82% and 24% amongst girls as opposed to 81% and 21% of boys. In addition, 36% of the female respondents affirmed that they have been drunk in their lifetime, with 28% having been intoxicated in the last 12 months prior to the survey, and 12% having smoked cigarettes 30 days prior to the survey.

Aside from what may be termed as the substance addictions, new trends have emerged creating potential problematic behaviour amongst youths.

Social media is widely used in our society today, with an average use of 4 hours or more per day by both female and male respondents. The behaviour here varies depending on the days of the week, with non-school days registering a high use of social media, in girls at 75% and in boys at 60%.

On the other hand, online gaming has also gained extensive popularity amongst the male respondents, with 46% making use of this mainly on non-school days spending 4 hours or more, as compared to 13% of the female respondents.

These new behavioural trends and the difference in prevalence between girls and boys needs to be further researched through a gender lens, in order to structure and create more successful prevention programmes as well as to review their effectiveness against this background information and emerging needs. There is a need here of a rethink in terms of educating against the abuse of what otherwise is a legitimate activity. It is also much harder to educate for the responsible use of something which is intrinsically good, than to educate for things which are intrinsically harmful such as alcohol, drugs, and smoking.

The improvement registered in this report should propel us to reach higher, move faster and go wider. An attitude towards healthy living is a culture that starts in the family and here the emphasis should be to influence in favour of making the right choices, as opposed to judging. However, this also needs to be re-enforced through our educational system and community engagement. We already have the constituent parts of good networks and programmes. We just need to fine tune, update and integrate, better. Adults need to make sure that they are not only adequately informed about addictions, but that they are also educated about giving the right example to young people. Programmes at the place of work are equally important and closer collaboration with all those committed to healthy living make the effect more sustainable.

It is the collective and collaborative effort of many stakeholders that makes sure that these addictions are addressed, tackled and that attitudes and behaviours are shifted amongst youths. Undoubtedly, this is the way forward.

Michael Falzon is the Minister for Social Justice and Solidarity, the Family and Children’s Rights