Spain ESTUDES 2025: Youth Smoking & Alcohol Hit Historic Lows
The Ministry of Health has released the 2025 Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education (ESTUDES 2025), revealing that tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption among Spanish students aged 14 to 18 has reached its lowest level since 1994. Minister Mónica García attributed this shift to the “denormalization” of substance use and the effectiveness of legislative interventions, noting that daily tobacco use plummeted to just 4.3%, a significant 3.2 percentage point drop from 2023.
The Decline of Traditional Substances: Tobacco and Alcohol
The 2025 data marks a watershed moment for public health in Spain. Tobacco consumption in the last 30 days fell to 15.5%, down from 21% in 2023, representing a 15-point decrease compared to 1998 levels. Nearly half of current adolescent smokers (46.4%) reported attempting to quit within the last year, signaling a major shift in youth health priorities. Despite this progress, the average age of onset remains stubbornly low at 14.1 years.
Alcohol remains the most prevalent legal drug, yet it too saw a historic retreat. Monthly consumption dropped from 56.6% to 51%, while “binge drinking” hit its lowest recorded value at 24.7%. Government Delegate Xisca Sureda emphasized that while these figures are encouraging, the upcoming Alcohol and Minors Law is essential to solidify these gains and protect the average 13.9-year-old who begins experimenting with alcohol.
Cannabis and the Perception of Risk
Cannabis, the most consumed illegal substance among Spanish youth, saw the most dramatic decline in the 2025 survey. Current users (last 30 days) dropped to 11.6%, a sharp fall from the 15.6% recorded in the previous cycle. This trend correlates with a record-high risk perception; 94.1% of students now view habitual cannabis use as a high-health risk, the highest value in the ESTUDES series history.
This increased awareness extends to other substances as well. Approximately 93.3% of students recognize the severe dangers of daily tobacco use, and over 67% acknowledge the risks of excessive weekend drinking. This cognitive shift suggests that public health campaigns are successfully counteracting industry marketing and peer pressure.
| Substance (Last 30 Days Use) | 2023 Prevalence | 2025 Prevalence | Historical Peak / Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 56.6% | 51.0% | 17 points lower than 1998 |
| Tobacco | 21.0% | 15.5% | Historic low since 1994 |
| Cannabis | 15.6% | 11.6% | 14 points below 2004 peak |
| E-Cigarettes | 26.3% | 27.1% | Slight monthly increase |
| Cocaine (Lifetime) | 2.6% | 1.6% | Significant stabilization |
The E-Cigarette Outlier and Future Policy
While traditional combustibles and alcohol are in retreat, e-cigarettes present a more complex narrative. The survey recorded a slight uptick in monthly use, rising to 27.1% from 26.3% in 2023. However, Sureda noted that “lifetime” and “last 12 months” usage rates for vaping actually showed a reduction, suggesting that while experimentation remains high, frequent habitual use may be stabilizing.
The Ministry of Health maintains that “policies work” but warns against complacency. The National Drug Plan continues to focus on the 35,256 students surveyed across 1,658 classrooms to refine prevention strategies. The focus now shifts to the Spanish Congress, where the new Alcohol and Minors Law will attempt to further restrict youth access and address the remaining 51.8% of students who still engage in monthly drinking.
Socio-Economic and European Context
Spain’s downward trend mirrors broader European shifts but stands out due to the rapid “denormalization” achieved through state anti-tobacco laws. The survey also highlighted a decrease in the use of hypnotics (tranquilizers and sleeping pills) for the first time since 2014, with lifetime use falling to 17.9%. For the Ministry, the 2025 ESTUDES results serve as a mandate to continue aggressive legislative action against industry pressure to ensure these historic lows become the new permanent baseline for the “new generation” of Spanish youth.
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