Children and young people – Adolescent substance use and gambling

Alcohol use is decreasing, but the decline in binge drinking has stalled

The proportion of adolescents abstaining from alcohol in Finland has increased over a long period, and an increasing number of 15–16-year-olds report that they have never tried alcohol. According to the 2024 ESPAD survey, 35 per cent of boys and 36 per cent of girls reported that they had never used alcohol.

Despite this positive development, the decline in heavy episodic drinking has stalled. In 2024, 9 per cent of boys and 8 per cent of girls reported getting drunk approximately once a week, which is slightly more than in 2019.

Use of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches has become more common 

Daily smoking has decreased; in 2024, approximately six per cent of ninth-grade boys and four per cent of girls reported smoking daily. In contrast, the use of e-cigarettes (vapes) and nicotine pouches has increased significantly.

In 2024, nearly half of ninth-graders reported having tried e-cigarettes at least once: 39 per cent of boys and 41 per cent of girls. Daily use of e-cigarettes (approx. 11%) is more common than daily smoking among adolescents.

The use of nicotine pouches has also increased: 31 per cent of boys and 17 per cent of girls reported having tried them. In 2024, 11 per cent of boys and three per cent of girls reported daily use of nicotine pouches. 

The use of snus has declined, and in 2024, approximately seven per cent of boys and three per cent of girls reported daily use.

Gambling has decreased and shifted online

Adolescent gambling has increasingly moved from traditional slot machines to digital environments. In total, 24 per cent of boys and four per cent of girls reported having gambled during the past 12 months.

Gambling has increasingly shifted to online gambling sites, where monitoring is more challenging than at physical gambling venues and playing may involve higher risks. The proportion of boys who play on slot machines at least weekly has decreased from about 45 per cent in 2011 to only four per cent in 2024. This development is associated with a reduction in the number of slot machines and the introduction of mandatory identification.  

Cannabis experimentation has decreased in recent years

Cannabis experimentation and use among ninth-graders have decreased slightly in recent years. In 2024, 11 per cent of boys and 9 per cent of girls reported having tried cannabis at least once in their lifetime.

The experimentation with other illicit drugs remains rare among 15–16-year-olds, as only about 4 per cent of adolescents reported having tried illicit drug other than cannabis.

About the data in more detail

ESPAD Study

Background information

Data description (Data resources catalogue) 
ESPAD survey methodology and data collection 

Source

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). Nuorten päihteiden käyttö ja rahapelaaminen – ESPAD-tutkimus 2024. Tilastoraportti 42/2024 (Julkari) (in Finnish)

Description of Statistics

The statistics are based on the international European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD). It describes the use of substances and tobacco products, gambling, as well as related perceptions, availability, and perceived risks among 15–16-year-old adolescents.

The latest data collection was carried out in 2024. The survey is conducted every four years using a school-based classroom questionnaire, which adolescents answer anonymously. The sample-based method ensures that the results are representative and generalisable to the entire 15–16-year-old population in the country. The data collection is harmonised across participating European countries, enabling international comparison of trends in adolescent substance use and gambling. 

Update schedule

The data is updated every four years. The next data collection will be conducted in 2028.