Maltese Girls Smoking & Drinking Alcohol More Than Boys

In Malta, recent findings from the ESPAD (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) study have raised red flags regarding adolescent substance use—particularly among girls.

While Malta ranks below the European average in lifetime e-cigarette use among students (under 33%), it is one of the few countries where girls significantly outpace boys.

Maltese girls report a 13-percentage-point higher rate of e-cigarette use than boys—the widest gender gap among all ESPAD countries.

Current use (past 30 days) tells a similar story. In Malta, 10% of students reported vaping recently, with usage higher among girls (mirroring a Europe-wide trend). Moreover, daily e-cigarette use is also more prevalent among Maltese girls, suggesting not just experimentation but habitual consumption.

Alcohol use follows the same concerning trajectory. Girls in Malta report higher lifetime alcohol use (74%) than boys (64%), and a notably higher rate of binge drinking (34% vs 25%). This gender disparity aligns with European patterns but is more pronounced locally.

Even illicit drug use, typically dominated by boys, reflects a reversal in Malta: 15% of Maltese girls report having used an illicit drug at least once, compared to 9.3% of boys. Girls also report higher perceived availability of substances, including cocaine and ecstasy.

These figures suggest that adolescent girls in Malta are not only catching up to boys in substance use—they’re surpassing them in several key areas, warranting targeted public health interventions focused on gender-specific education and prevention.

#MaltaDaily