Fewer young people use alcohol and cannabis - still see less risks with drugs

It is the Central Federation for Alcohol and Drug Information that, in collaboration with municipalities and the Västra Götaland region, conducted a new drug survey among ninth graders and students in grade two in high school.

A survey was also conducted in 2016 and 2013. During Thursday, Trollhättan, Vänersborg, Lilla Edet and Uddevalla presented the results to their municipalities.

" The most important thing we have come up with is that alcohol use, smoking and drug use are decreasing," says Sara Gunnarsson Forsberg, drug prevention coordinator Vänersborg Municipality.

- I see it as very positive that our preventive work has worked in the long term.

In Trollhättan, Vänersborg and Uddevalla, the number of pupils who smoke decreased sharply between 2013 and 2019 among students in grade two at the upper secondary school.

In Trollhättan, the decline has been greatest, from 34 percent in 2013 to 14 percent in 2017. In Lilla Edet, the picture is more complex, after falling sharply, so both smoking and alcohol consumption have increased again. When it comes to ninth graders, usage is lower at all points, but the trend has also been more static.

Something that has instead increased in general is the sniffing. In Uddevalla, the number of sniffing students in grade two in high school has gone from 11 percent in 2013 to 21 percent in 2019.

- The snuff is increasing. The tobacco industry is aware of the public's knowledge that smoking is harmful and the industry has worked with snus for several years to not smell so much, to develop new flavors and to make new shapes on the cans to attract girls.

- We have noticed on the spot that more young snuff and especially young girls.

Of all the students in the study, nine out of ten have not tested drugs. Since 2013, it has also been slightly less percentage tested.

The number of pupils in grade two in high school who have ever tested drugs has decreased percentage in all four municipalities between 2013 and 2019, but the number of pupils tested in grade nine in compulsory school has instead increased in three of four municipalities.

- The drug surprised us a little and we were surprised that it was dropping in high school, says Sara Gunnarsson Forsberg.

While the use of drugs is decreasing, fewer and fewer risks are seen with the use of marijuana and cannabis. More than half of all students now see no or little risk of having tested once or twice.

- It is alarming and we see that something happened. It's something that scares me, but I'm glad that proportion hasn't tried.

Is there scientific evidence that it could be harmful to test once or twice, what you are doing?

- Yes, there it is, we lean on the facts.

Some critics say it is about scare propaganda with the opposite effect, how do you see it?

- We do not run with scare propaganda, we tell the facts.