December 9, 2016.
According to the new report from the French Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT), young people spend more time in front of screens and discover drugs later.
Screen addictions
To any parent who thinks screens are taking up too much of a teenager’s life, know that it can distract them from drugs and alcohol, for a while. According to OFDT data, in 2014, on average, young people smoked their first cigarette at the age of 14 (8 months later compared to 2014) and their first joint at 15.3 years (4 months later).
This lack of attraction for alcohol and drugs is explained by another addiction: that of screens. From 2003 to 2015, the share of young people who use the Internet daily increased from 23% to 83%, according to the report. ” The generation born between 2000 and 2005 spends much more time connected to screens than the previous one, which is likely to keep these young people away from a number of opportunities to consume, in particular out of the eyes of referring adults. », Underlines François Beck, director of the Observatory.
Lifestyle changes
But this is not the only explanation. More and more parents have decided to quit smoking. As young people are less confronted with cigarettes on a daily basis, they are less tempted to try. This change in lifestyle can also be seen with alcohol. Numerous awareness campaigns have highlighted the dangers of these behaviors for health. If the parents were affected, it would appear that the youngsters too.
” The parents of these young people are themselves less consumers than previous generations », Explains François Beck, on France Info. ” But up to at least 12-13 years, the first model of children, it is the parents. Prevention also works. We still have to let the preventive actions take hold over time. “
