Use of alcohol and pills in Malta higher than most European countries

While cannabis use in Maltese schools appears to be below the European average, the use of inhalants and the combined use of alcohol and pills are more frequent than in many other countries, a survey has found.

European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) was conducted in 2007 and was published today across Europe.

The ESPAD provides a reliable overview of trends and a comprehensive picture of licit and illicit drug use among European adolescents. This study, which locally is carried out by Sedqa in collaboration with the Guidance and Counselling Services within the Ministry for Education, has become a leading measure of substance abuse among young people in Malta

It offers a scientific indication of the prevalence of substance misuse and the prevailing attitudes and significant factors that influence both prevalence and attitude, thus offering a scientific base for professionals in the field.

In the section on Malta, it says the majority (87%) of the students in Malta had consumed alcohol during the past 12 months, which was slightly above the ESPAD mean, while the 12 months prevalence of drunkenness (38%) was very close to average.

The estimated volume of alcohol consumed on the latest drinking day (3.9 cl alc. 100%) was also close to average. A somewhat lower proportion of the Maltese students than the ESPAD average had been smoking during the past 30 days (26%), while the proportion reporting any cannabis use (13%) was clearly below average.

On the other hand, use of any drug other than cannabis was reported by 9 percent, which was similar to the ESPAD mean.

Both the use of inhalants (16%) and the use of pills in combination with alcohol (11%) were almost twice as common as the ESPAD average, while the non-prescription use of tranquillisers or sedatives (5%) was about the same as in many other ESPAD countries.

Speaking during a news conference this afternoon, Sedqa’s Clincal Director George Grech said the use of alcohol and cigarettes remained the biggest problem. He was particularly worried about the repeated use of alcohol and would like to see the minimum drinking age upped from 16 to 18.

Over the past eight years, he said, the use of cannabis had increased and there was a leap in the use of stimulants such as amphetamines and cocaine.

In fact, he said, this year Sedqa would be targeting these drugs.

Education Minsiter Dolores Cristina said that it was important to look into why these teenagers were experimenting with substances. One reason, she said, was lack of self esteem. The education reform would help ensure that these children did not feel less competent than peers as it aimed to bring out the skills of individuals rather than stream them into groups.

Social Policy Minister John Dalli agreed with the concept of tacking the problem from its roots. One of them was ensuring that substances were not easily accessible to vulnerable young people.

He said that the prices of alcohol and cigarettes in Malta were low compared to other countries. He stressed that action also had to be taken to address the type of role models that young people were exposed to through the entertainment media.

All to often, these role models got attention when they suffered from some form of abuse problem. Such role models encouraged a culture of irresponsibility and egoism that were the roots of many social problems.