The new ESTUDES 2025 report from the National Plan on Drugs has been released, based on a survey of over 35,000 students across Spain between February and June 2025. On one hand, the data show a decline in alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use among teenagers. However, certain problematic behaviors tied to gambling and digital environments are on the rise.
The survey collects data backed by the Ministry of Health and the Spanish Observatory on Drugs and Addictions, covering substances, gambling (online and in person), problematic internet and social media use, possible addiction to video games, and use of pornography.
Decreases, increases, and important nuances. Let’s break it down.
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Use Decline
According to the Survey on Drug Use Among Secondary School Students (ESTUDES 2025), substance use among people aged 14 to 18 continues to decline.
Some key figures for this year compared to 2023:
- Alcohol (last 12 months): 66.8% in 2025 vs. 74.8% in 2023
- Conventional cigarettes/tobacco: 19.1% in 2025 vs. 27.1% in 2023
- Cannabis: 14.1% in 2025 vs. 21.8% in 2023
- E-cigarettes: 38.2% (also down from 2023)
In addition, the study points out gender differences: girls show higher use of legal substances (alcohol, tobacco, hypnotics), while boys show higher prevalence rates for cannabis, cocaine, and ecstasy, according to Infobae.
At the official presentation of the report, Health Minister Monica Garcia highlighted: “Young people in our country have the healthiest habits seen in the last 25 years…”
That is no small feat. But it’s not the whole story either…
Gambling and Addiction Risk Are Rising Among Teens
While substance use appears to be declining, gambling is gaining ground. According to the report:
- 13% of students gambled online in 2025
- 20.9% gambled in person
- 8.4% showed signs of possible problem gambling (vs. 6% in 2023)
The increase is most pronounced among males and online gamblers. The report warns that risk rises when gambling becomes frequent or when larger amounts of money are spent, especially in forms such as sports betting or slot machines.
In fact, analysis by game type shows that Type III games of chance—sports betting, roulette, and slot machines—have a problem-gambling prevalence close to 27%, well above other formats, according to Salud Diario.
During the presentation of this report, Secretary of State for Health Javier Padilla explained that the goal is to help guide public policies on prevention, regulation, and treatment of behavioral addictions.
The focus, then, shifts from bottles and cigarettes to digital roulette wheels and online casinos.
Internet, Video Games, and Porn: The New Frontier
The report not only addresses gambling, but it also analyzes teenagers’ relationship with screens.
Some key figures:
- 15.3% show problematic social media use
- 84.4% play video games
- 8.6% of males show signs of video game addiction, compared to 1.8% of females
- 4.1% show problematic pornography use
At this point, it’s important to clarify: pornography consumption has decreased compared to previous editions, although more than half of young people say they have used it in the last year.
The Government Delegate for Spain’s National Plan on Drugs, Xisca Sureda, explained that the aim of the report is to understand the current situation and how behavioral addictions are evolving.
And that evolution seems clear. Substance use is declining, but the digital environment poses new challenges.
Cultural Change or Risk Transfer?
The report shows that in 2023 there were 4,916 admissions to treatment for behavioral addictions among teenagers in Spain, mostly related to gambling. So what’s happening?
It does not seem to be a matter of a “healthier generation” in absolute terms, but rather a transformation in risk behaviors. Alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use is falling, but dynamics linked to the digital ecosystem and online gambling are growing.
The discussion is not whether one phenomenon directly replaces the other, but how public policy, education, and the technological context are reshaping the way teens relate to pleasure, risk, and dependence. And that’s probably where the conversation is just beginning.
Camila Berriex
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