Kyiv, Ukraine – November 4, 2025
A national dialogue aimed at reaching consensus on the next steps for implementing primary prevention measures for psychoactive substance use was held in Kyiv. The event was organized by the Ukrainian Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and brought together key leaders, national stakeholders, and representatives of international organisations, including:
- The Representative of the President of Ukraine for Children’s Rights and Child Rehabilitation
- The Ministry of Health of Ukraine
- Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
- Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine
- Representatives of the WHO Office in Ukraine
- ISSUP Global and ISSUP Ukraine
- The Ukrainian-Swiss Project “Acting for Health”
- Representatives from social and law enforcement services, academia, and other sectors.
Presentation of ESPAD 2024 Results
During the event, the Ukrainian Public Health Center presented the latest results from the 2024 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD).
Ukraine has participated in every ESPAD cohort since 1995. In 2024, 37 European countries took part. The Ukrainian study included 8,819 students (4,074 boys and 4,745 girls) aged 14–17 years from 300 educational institutions.
Key findings from Ukraine include:
- The prevalence of smoking among adolescents in 2024 has nearly halved compared with 2019. However, the use of electronic cigarettes has increased, and the frequency of using heated tobacco products has doubled since 2019.
- Lifetime alcohol use decreased from 85.7% (2019) to 76.7% (2024). The proportion of adolescents who consumed alcohol very frequently (40+ times in the past 12 months) remained stable at around 7%.
- Lifetime cannabis use increased by one third compared with 2019.
- The share of respondents who reported lifetime use of any drugs rose sharply from 9.6% (2019) to 15.8% (2024).
- 54.6% of adolescents believe they spend too much time on social media, while 36.6% report excessive online gaming.
- 49.3% of respondents reported experiencing traumatic effects of the war, and 10.1% were living in a different region than before 24 February 2022.
- Elevated depression was observed in 32%, anxiety in 35%, and stress in 21.7% of students. These mental health indicators were higher among adolescents who smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs.
More results are available in the official report:
🔗 ESPAD Report 2024
ISSUP presentation on substance use prevention
The final session of the event featured a presentation by the ISSUP on the fundamentals of substance use prevention, emphasizing evidence-based approaches and collaboration across education, health, and social sectors.
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