The report published by the Institute for Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies reveals that the Azores have high consumption rates of tobacco, nootropics, and cannabis, but are below the national average for alcohol. The region also leads in the frequency of electronic gaming and has the highest number of early cases of initiation into tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol use. It is also the area of the country where gambling increased the most between 2019 and 2024.

The results of the latest edition of the Study on Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug, and Other Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (ECATD-CAD), published by the Institute for Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies (ICAD), reveal a general decline, at the national level, in addictive behaviors among public school students aged 13 to 18.

This edition of the study, relating to 2024, confirms trends already observed in previous analyses carried out by ICAD among the youth population: Alentejo, Algarve, and the Azores continue to stand out for the highest prevalence of addictive behaviors among young people in general, and public school students in particular, while the North and Madeira regions have lower values.

In the case of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the higher rates of tobacco consumption, nootropics use, and other drug use compared to the national average highlight areas that require attention from public health officials and policymakers to effectively address substance use concerns.

The region’s notable differences, such as the highest prevalence of electronic gaming on non-school days and earlier initiation into tobacco and cannabis, highlight the importance of understanding regional variations for effective public health strategies. Conversely, in the Azores, lower gambling and e-cigarette use, along with perceptions of less easy alcohol access and later initiation into nootropics, underscore the need to consider local contexts in policy development.

Compared to the 2019 study, the region’s notable reduction in alcohol consumption (-15 p.p.) and the significant rise in gambling (+11 p.p.) highlight important behavioral shifts that can inform public health strategies.

Early consumption of alcohol and tobacco

Regarding consumption in the last month by type of alcoholic beverage, there are significant regional differences, as preferences vary across regions. In the Center, Lisbon, Alentejo, and Algarve, alcopops (pre-mixed alcoholic beverages, generally with low alcohol content) are the most consumed by students. In the Azores, beer is the main preference, and this is the region with the lowest current wine consumption.

Access to alcoholic beverages tends to be perceived as less easy in the Autonomous Regions, especially in the Azores. Even so, the percentage of students who say they have been drunk at a very early age is higher in Alentejo (8%) and the Azores (7%).

Considering all forms of consumption, tobacco is the second most commonly used psychoactive substance among students aged 13 to 18 in public education, regardless of region. The Azores stand out for having the lowest prevalence of consumption, particularly with regard to electronic tobacco. Among Azorean students, access to combustible tobacco is also perceived as less easy.

However, the percentage of students who consumed combustible tobacco at age 13 or younger is higher in the Azores and Alentejo (12% in both regions). In addition, daily consumption of this type of tobacco at such an early age is particularly significant in the Azores (4%).

High percentage of daily cannabis consumption

Current illicit drug use is highest in Alentejo (5%) and lowest in the Azores (2%), with similar figures in Madeira and the North. Regarding the use of these psychoactive substances, the Azores and Lisbon are the regions with figuresclosest to the national average. Access to illicit drugs (such as ecstasy, cocaine, LSD, crack, heroin, and magic mushrooms) is perceived as less easy by students in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

Concerning illicit drugs other than cannabis, and given that consumption levels are lower, prevalence rates are relatively similar across regions. In terms of experimentation, they range from 2% in the North to 4% in the Alentejo, Azores, and Algarve. In terms of recent consumption, the figures range from 1% (North) to 3% (Alentejo and Azores).

In all regions, current cannabis consumption on a daily or almost daily basis is residual (less than 1%). However, when the analysis is restricted to current consumers, significant regional differences emerge. Although cannabis consumption is more prevalent overall in the Algarve, it is consumers in the Autonomous Region of the Azores who have the highest proportion of daily consumption (18%). In comparison, the Algarve and Madeira have much lower figures (5% in both regions).

Early cannabis use is more prevalent in the Azores, where the percentage of students who have used this substance at age 13 or younger is double the national average.

Growth in nootropic use despite less easy access

Concerning the lifetime prescribed use of tranquilizers/sedatives, prevalence rates vary between 6% in the Autonomous Region of the Azores and 9% in the Autonomous Region of Madeira. In the case of medically prescribed nootropics, the Azores have the highest national prevalence (5%), while the Algarve has the lowest (2%).

The Azores also stand out as the region where access to tranquilizers/sedatives and nootropics without a prescription is perceived as less easy. Despite this, the Autonomous Region has the second-highest rate in the country for non-prescribed consumption of this type of medication. However, it is also the region where students consider access without a prescription to be most difficult, highlighting a need to better understand and support student access issues.

Greater practice of electronic gaming on days without school

The Autonomous Region of the Azores also stands out for its greater practice of electronic gaming on days without school, highlighting regional variations in youth activities. Regarding gambling, this practice is more common in the south of the country (Lisbon, Alentejo, and the Algarve), emphasizing regional differences in gambling habits. The percentage of students who report having gambled in the 30 days before the survey ranges from 17% (Azores, Center, and North) to 21% (Algarve), underscoring the importance of regional context in youth behavior analysis.

As for the frequency of video game use, the Azores stand out again, with the highest percentage of students who play four or more hours a day, 17% on school days and 38% on non-school days, and it is also the region where electronic gaming is most prevalent.

Prevalence of gambling tripled between 2019 and 2024

Contrary to what has been observed in other addictive behaviors, gambling in the last year has become more prevalent among students, with an increase of 5 p.p. in the national total. All regions follow this trend, but unevenly: compared to the previous study, the increase ranges from 4 p.p. in the North to 11 p.p. in the Azores.

José Henrique Andrade is a journalist for Correio dos Açores-Natalino Viveiros-director.

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.