Malta’s Teens Smoke & Vape Less Than Almost All Of Europe

Malta has emerged as one of Europe’s best-performing countries in relation to teenage smoking and vaping, according to the newly published European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD 2024).

Only 16% of Maltese students aged 15 to 16 have ever smoked a cigarette, the lowest rate in Europe, compared with the ESPAD average of 32%. The highest rates were recorded in Hungary and Slovakia, while only Iceland reported a lower prevalence than Malta.

E-cigarette use is also relatively limited among Maltese adolescents, with 26% reporting they have tried vaping. This places Malta among the bottom six countries in Europe.

‘Gender differences showed a slightly higher prevalence among girls (32% versus 31% among boys)’, the study reports. ‘This trend was evident in more than two-thirds of the countries, with the largest differences in Romania (47% versus 36 %) and Bulgaria (46% versus 36%).’

Experts suggest that targeted marketing and social influences may be contributing to higher vaping rates among girls.

During a conference organised by the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS), Minister for Social Policy and the Rights of the Child, Michael Falzon, discussed Malta’s results in the latest European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD).

He said the government continues to invest in school awareness campaigns to educate students about the negative effects of addiction and risky behaviours.

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