Every third adolescent has used drugs

Every third adolescent has already consumed illegal drugs. But the vast majority rise again in contrast to alcohol and nicotine consumers. Overall, a declining trend can be observed

One in three adolescents in Austria has already had experience with illegal drugs. However, the vast majority of consumption is a life-cycle problem, as the current 2010 drug report reports. Although 26 percent of young people between the ages of 20 and 24 have already taken drugs, only four percent of those aged 60 to 69 have used it. Of the illegal substances, the most commonly used is cannabis.

One in three young adults in Austria already has drug experience. Cannabis and hashish were the most commonly used. However, unlike nicotine and alcohol, consumers are returning after a while. "Consumer experience of illicit drugs is most prevalent in Austria in cannabis, with prevalence rates of around 30 to 40 percent in young adults," says the drug report. Synthetic drugs such as ecstasy, or cocaine and amphetamines have been consumed far less. Here, the average rate is two to four percent. Overall, it could be observed that the overall abuse of cocaine is on the decline. According to the report, only one to a maximum of two percent have already had experience with heroin and other opiates.

In 2009, 187 people died as a result of the use of illegal drugs
Last year, 187 people died of hard drugs such as heroin, according to the "Report on the drug situation 2010" of the Austrian Federal Institute for Health. Interesting in this context is that most people who have taken illegal substances, also stop.

Declining trend in drug use
In Germany too, a declining trend has been observed for some years. While more and more young people resort to legalized drugs such as alcohol, the use of illegal drugs has been declining for years. According to the federal government's 2009 drug report, just over two percent of 12- to 25-year-olds said they smoke regularly for cannabis. In 1993, it had been just over 4.4 percent. In addition, those affected using illegal substances often stop using it. The authors from Austria: "The rate of consumer withdrawal is significantly higher for all illicit substances than for alcohol (10 percent) and nicotine (38 percent) and around 80 percent for cannabis, proving that the use of illegal substances in the CV of most people a temporary, mostly youth and adult life, is a limited, temporary phenomenon. "

Whether instead of PC games and Internet addiction take the place of hashish and alcohol in the juvenile today, some social experts suspect. However, there are still insufficient studies that could prove such a tendency. However, for the first time the German drug report devoted itself to this question in a separate chapter. According to this, three to seven percent of German Internet users are considered "addicted" because they spend 10 to 18 hours a day on the computer with games, chats and social networks. (sb, 28.10.2010)

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