Big increase: more gambling addicts and young smokers in Switzerland

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The share of online gamers with problematic gambling and gaming behavior appears to have doubled within three years, the foundation writes in its ‘Swiss Addiction Panorama 2024’ report published on Thursday. Younger men are particularly affected. On average, the debt is about 88,000 francs.

Video games and social networking also pose risks: About 3 percent of 15-year-olds showed problematic behavior when playing video games. More than 7 percent of 15-year-olds use social networks.

The foundation advocates regulatory measures here; Politicians in particular must better protect young people. In general, media literacy should be promoted among children, youth and adults. In addition, early detection of problem behavior must be promoted.

Many more young smokers

What worries the foundation is the increase in cigarette consumption among 13-year-olds. Six percent of them smoked at least once in the month before the survey, which is double the number in 2018.

The consumption of nicotine products among young people has increased overall. About a third of 15-year-olds had consumed at least one nicotine product at the time of the survey. This is due to the rise of snus products and disposable e-cigarettes of the “puff bar” type. Consumption among girls has increased, especially in the latter case.

At the same time, the consumption of conventional cigarettes among young people has not decreased. However, in adults, the slight decrease in cigarette consumption was offset by other nicotine products.

The ban on sales to young people should be enforced

The share of people who drink alcohol every day has fallen by about half since 1992. But 11 percent of women and 19 percent of men get drunk at least once a month, the report said.

About a quarter of 15-year-olds had consumed five or more alcoholic drinks once in the thirty days before the survey; among 13-year-olds this was 17 percent. The foundation therefore calls for the ban on sales to young people, and especially the ban on night sales, to finally be consistently enforced. Prices should also be increased and advertising limited.

In addition, mixed and drug use is widespread among young people. 12 percent of 15-year-olds already have experience with this. Here too, prevention must be strengthened, the foundation writes.

Sales of potentially addictive sleeping pills and tranquilizers remain stable at a high level. A slight decline has begun in opioid painkillers.

Cannabis consumption remains quite stable overall. It also continued to decline among 15-year-olds: 12.1 percent of boys and 8.4 percent of girls had used cannabis in the month before the survey. Less than 1 percent of students used cannabis on at least 10 days of the month.

The cause of the growing cocaine use, especially in the form of smokable crack and freebase, is difficult for the foundation to determine. Various factors play a role in this, such as lower prices and new consumer groups. (SDA)

Source:Blick