Nicotine use is rising among Austrian school students in the form of nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes, prompting experts to warn of a potential new wave of addiction, following the release of a new report.
The 2024 Drug Report shows that while smoking rates have fallen among young people, the widespread use of nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes now threatens to reverse this trend.
“As a result, after years of decline, there could be a rise in nicotine addiction again,” cautioned drug expert Martin Busch, who leads the “Competence Centre for Addiction” at Gesundheit Österreich GmbH.
“While in 2002, 22% of 15-year-olds smoked daily, by 2022, this figure had dropped to just 4%. However, 3% of students use nicotine pouches every day, and 2% smoke e-cigarettes,” Busch said.
The expert warned that nicotine’s addictive properties, the potential carcinogenic effects of added flavours and the long-term uncertainty surrounding high-dose nicotine consumption pose significant risks.
Daily Smoking Rates in Austria
Overall, 21% of Austrians aged 15 and older smoke cigarettes daily. Despite a long-term decline in smoking rates – particularly among men over the past 30 years and women in the last decade – no significant reductions have been seen in recent years. However, nearly one-third of smokers are contemplating quitting. Busch stated, “This presents a significant opportunity to reduce the number of affected individuals.”
Alcohol Consumption Still a Concern
Alcohol consumption levels remain high in Austria. Although per capita alcohol consumption is declining, Austria continues to be a “high-consumption country” compared to other nations. It is estimated that 15% of the population consumes alcohol to a harmful degree, with men (19%) more likely to do so than women (11%). “Men die three to four times more often from alcohol-related causes than women,” explained Busch.
Alcohol-related deaths in traffic accidents have dropped significantly over the years. In 1971, there were 420 deaths attributed to alcohol use in road traffic, whereas by 2022, this number had fallen to just 26, despite the number of registered vehicles tripling.
Concerns Over Illegal Drug Use and Overdoses
Busch reported that around one in five Austrians aged 15 to 64 has tried cannabis, and 90,000 have used cocaine at least once. “However, risky drug use is dominated by the consumption of opioids, such as heroin,” Busch noted. An estimated 35,000 to 40,000 people in Austria are affected, mostly men over 25 living in urban centres like Vienna.
Although the number of users has remained steady, Busch highlighted a concerning rise in fatal overdoses. The number of drug-related deaths fell significantly from 206 in 2009 to 122 in 2014. However, by 2023, the figure had more than doubled to 256.
Busch added that another contributing factor to the rise in fatalities could be the increased purity of substances, which heightens the risk of overdoses. “In the same amount, there is now more of the dangerous active substance,” he said.
