Scotland is worst in world for teenage boys smoking hashish

Fifteen-year-old boys in Scotland have the very best fee for smoking hashish in accordance with a brand new report from the World Well being Group (WHO).

The research discovered that almost 1 / 4 (23%) of boys aged 15 in Scotland surveyed stated they’d tried the Class B drug in some unspecified time in the future.

In one of many largest research of its variety the WHO examined information from 280,000 kids aged 11, 13 and 15 from 44 nations world wide.

The survey additionally advised that the UK has extra of a problem with under-age vaping than many different nations.

The survey requested kids residing in Europe, Central Asia and Canada about their use of cigarettes, vapes, alcohol and hashish.

It discovered that kids in Scotland and Wales usually tend to have smoked hashish than these in lots of different nations.

Each nations are within the prime 5 globally.

From the Scottish pattern, which concerned 4,000 youngsters, 23% of 15-year-old boys stated they’d smoked hashish inside their lifetime, whereas 16% of ladies the identical age stated the identical.

Canadian women ranked highest with 25% saying they’d smoked the drug.

Simply 13% of boys and 6% of ladies in Scotland stated they’d used hashish, also called weed, within the final 30 days.

Dr Jo Inchley from the College of Glasgow, who labored as worldwide co-ordinator for the research, stated the excessive rating of Scottish boys within the research is “regarding”.

“We’re not seeing the declines amongst common customers like we do amongst extra experimental customers,” she stated.

“In contrast with different nations, we’re nonetheless comparatively excessive and 15-year-old boys in Scotland have the very best ranges of hashish use throughout the research as a complete.

“That is regarding. So, though we have seen these decreases, we’re nonetheless comparatively excessive in comparison with different nations,” she added.

Hashish use has dropped in recent times and has stabilised, however some weak kids are nonetheless persevering with to make use of it, in accordance with Dr Inchley.

The research additionally checked out traits in smoking, vaping and consuming alcohol among the many three age teams.

It discovered two-fifths of ladies in England and Scotland have vaped by the age of 15. That’s larger than in different nations reminiscent of France, Austria, Germany, Albania, Spain, Canada and Norway.

The research discovered 40% of 15-year-old women in Scotland, and 33% of boys have used an digital cigarette.

Of these, 30% of ladies stated their use was within the 30 days previous to the 2022 survey, whereas for boys the determine was 20%.

“Vaping within the UK is larger than the common throughout all of the nations that took half within the survey as a complete,” stated Dr Inchley.

“Steep will increase in vaping amongst younger individuals within the UK threaten to reverse a number of the constructive traits we’ve seen in substance use in recent times with general declines in alcohol use and cigarette smoking for the reason that Nineteen Nineties,” she stated.

“Charges of vaping have doubled within the final 4 years amongst women in Scotland.

“Vapes are far too readily accessible to younger individuals and the well being dangers are underestimated. New laws to ban single use vapes is a crucial step ahead however additional motion is required to handle these worrying traits,” she added.

Smoking amongst kids is should much less frequent than it was once – only one in 5 15 year-old women have ever smoked a cigarette – however smoking charges are nonetheless larger amongst women than boys in England and Wales.

The report confirms that vaping charges have overtaken cigarette smoking in most nations, with almost one in ten 11-year-olds saying they’ve used a vape no less than as soon as, rising to 26% of boys and 40% of ladies by age 15.

Vaping charges within the UK are above common in comparison with different nations. Although vaping is considered a lot much less harmful than smoking, the dangers of kids respiratory chemical compounds into their lungs usually are not but totally understood.

The UK authorities has already launched measures to clamp down on the promotion and unlawful sale of vapes to below 18s.

By way of consuming alcohol, the Scottish figures are marginally decrease than the remainder of the UK nations surveyed.

A complete of 73% of 15-year-old women and 64% of 15-year-old boys within the nation stated they’d tried alcohol, whereas 32% and 26% of ladies and boys respectively stated they’d been drunk no less than twice.

Youngsters aged 11 and 13 in England are the almost definitely to have ever drunk alcohol in contrast with children in all the opposite nations surveyed.

In contrast with different European nations, charges of drunkenness within the UK had been excessive, significantly amongst women.

The report urges nations to introduce measures that may defend younger generations from hurt, reminiscent of limiting the supply of nicotine and tobacco merchandise, and alcohol, and a ban on promoting and promotion of any substances on mainstream and social media.

It is a complete research that checked out behaviour of younger individuals in 44 nations from Tajikistan to Greenland, Canada to Belgium. It’s an attention-grabbing snapshot of the kind of dangerous behaviours adolescents participate in whereas rising up.

Scotland is prime of the league desk for 15 12 months outdated boys having tried hashish in some unspecified time in the future of their lifetime (23%), however that’s solely marginally larger than Poland (22%).

And relating to these saying they’ve used hashish within the final 30 days, Bulgaria confirmed the very best prevalence for boys (19%) and Canada for ladies (15%).

England didn’t submit information on hashish use. The research exhibits that general, hashish use has dropped or stabilised in recent times.

Whether or not it’s hashish use, vaping or consuming alcohol, understanding these traits is essential for coverage makers as analysis exhibits younger persons are significantly delicate to substances as a result of their brains are nonetheless growing.

It’s simpler for them to change into addicted and might have penalties for schooling, bodily and psychological well being. Figuring out and concentrating on areas of concern ought to assist prioritise the measures that have to be put in place to deal with them.