Number of students who smoke no longer decreasing
Almost half of 16- to 18-year-old students in secondary vocational and higher professional education have ever smoked (47%), more than a quarter (27%) smoked in the past month, and more than one in ten (11%) smoke daily. These percentages are virtually the same as in the previous measurement in 2019. Smoking is particularly common among secondary vocational education students. For example, 12% of 17-year-olds in secondary vocational education smoke daily. In higher professional education, this is 3%. Students in secondary vocational education also smoked more cigarettes per day on average (5.5) than students in higher professional education (3.7). Approximately a quarter of secondary vocational and higher professional education students (26%) consider it normal for their peers to smoke.
Alcohol consumption remained consistently high in 2021
Almost eight in ten secondary vocational and higher professional education students (79%) aged 16 to 18 have drunk alcohol at some point. Two thirds (67%) had drunk alcohol in the past month. Almost one in five (19%) students who drank alcohol in the past month say they usually drink more than ten glasses of alcohol on a ‘drinking day’ at the weekend. Alcohol use among secondary vocational and higher professional education students has therefore remained virtually unchanged since 2015.
The number of students who drink large quantities of alcohol has increased. For example, 23% of 17-year-old secondary vocational education students who had drunk alcohol in the past month usually drink more than ten glasses on a ‘drinking day’ at the weekend. Among 17-year-old higher professional education students, this is 11%. More than half of the underage students consider it normal for their peers to drink alcohol.
Fewer nitrous oxide users, but more balloons per occasion
Nitrous oxide use peaked in 2017 and 2019. At that time, around 30% of students used nitrous oxide. In 2021, the number of students who had ever used nitrous oxide in their lifetime fell to 20%. The number of students who used nitrous oxide in the past month decreased from 8.1% in 2019 to 3.6% in 2021. Although the number of users decreased between 2019 and 2021, the figures show that those who use nitrous oxide used more on average in 2021 than in 2019. In 2021, 44% of users in the past month used an average of ten or more balloons per occasion, compared with 24% in 2019. Frequent and intensive nitrous oxide use is particularly harmful. It therefore remains important to continue paying attention to nitrous oxide use.
Cannabis use has remained at the same level since 2015
Just under one third (30%) of 16- to 18-year-old students in secondary vocational and higher professional education have ever used cannabis. Approximately one in eight (13%) did so in the past month. There is no difference between secondary vocational and higher professional education students in this respect. On average, 1.5 joints are smoked per occasion. More than one third (34%) of users in the past month had sometimes used cannabis during school hours, for example during a break or a free period. Cannabis use remained virtually unchanged between 2015 and 2021. One in five (21%) say they consider it normal for their peers to use cannabis.
Ecstasy remains the most commonly used drug after cannabis
Ecstasy is the most commonly used drug after cannabis among 16- to 18-year-old students in secondary vocational and higher professional education: 9% have ever used ecstasy and 2.7% used ecstasy in the past month. Ecstasy use remained virtually unchanged between 2015 and 2021. Cocaine ranks second in terms of lifetime use (3.9%).
The factsheet also provides information on quitting smoking and buying cigarettes, alcohol and cannabis. It also includes figures on the use of hookahs, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, nicotine pouches and drugs such as ketamine and 3-MMC.