Less alcohol, but more cannabis use among Flemish students in 2021
On average Flemish students consume no more than nine alcoholic beverages per week. That’s according to the most recent results of an online questionnaire performed by the Flemish expertise center Alcohol and other Drugs (VAD), which serves as the partner organization of the Flemish government.
Between February and April 2021, 33,373 students in Flanders and the Dutch speaking Colleges in Belgium completed the survey called ‘In higher realms?’ to provide clear insights concerning their alcohol and other drug use.
While the average alcohol consumption dropped from 13 to 9 glasses per week, cannabis use rose, together with the use of other illegal drugs like Ecstasy and cocaine. Almost 27 percent of Flemish students used cannabis last year, 8 percent used other drugs. Only 3 percent used Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas.
Using wisely
The use of sedative or stimulant medication has not increased. In fact, many students conclude that these types of drugs do not help them at all. Eight out of ten students even reported negative side effects.
The Flemish expertise center concludes that most students deal with alcohol, cannabis and psychoactive medication in a relatively healthy way. In addition, the study also tested the mental well-being of the students. Four in ten students indicated that they suffer from psychological complaints, while nearly three in ten claimed to feel very lonely. The ongoing corona measures have most likely contributed to this, the researcher concludes.
Ⓒ BELGA PHOTO