Students, Drugs & Alcohol

Binge drinking is down considerably compared with 2012. It is now relatively uncommon in younger adolescents, but among those aged 17 or older, 42% reported binge drinking in the past month.

60% of  those surveyed under 16 were not drinking; and overall, secondary students were drinking less frequently than in previous surveys.

23% of students reported ever using cannabis, and 4.1% reported using it at least weekly.

Using cannabis weekly or more often (4%) has become more common than tobacco smoking (3%).

Data shows a decline in prevalence of 14 and 15-year-olds who have ever used cannabis from 19% (2012) to 14% (2014–2018), and in past month use from 10% (2012 and 2014) to 8% (2016 and 2018)

While smoking has become an uncommon issue in schools, ethnic and social difference in smoking rates remain start. In particular, youth smoking remains relatively common in Māori, Pacific and low-income communities.

A 12% share of students reported using e-cigarettes or vapes at least monthly, and 8% reported vaping at least weekly.

Vaping was more common than smoking in high school students, and many teens who vape are non-smokers.

Questions about vaping were not included in previous Youth2000 surveys, so trend data is not available.

In Youth19, 3.7% of students reported ever trying any other drugs (such as P, huffing, synthetics)

There were no substantial differences between male and female students, between school deciles or neighbourhood deprivation levels, or between students living in small towns compared to urban or rural areas.