Study Reveals: Teenage Girls in Cyprus Outdrink and Outgamble Boys

Teenage girls in Cyprus are more likely than boys to drink alcohol and use drugs, according to the 2024 ESPAD (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) international report.

The findings show that girls on the island are also more involved in gambling than boys. A striking 78% of girls and 66% of boys said they could easily get access to alcohol.

Nearly half of Cypriot teens—49% of boys and 35% of girls—report drinking regularly. Alarmingly, one in eight teens said they had been drunk in the past month, with girls being three times more likely to binge drink than boys.

Girls also reported higher participation in gambling activities, often taking place in bars, clubs, or similar venues.

Cyprus ranked among the countries with the highest rates of teenage drug use. Over 6% of respondents said they had experimented with LSD, cocaine, or hallucinogens. Marijuana remains the most commonly used drug, with 12% of teenagers having tried it—some as early as age 14.

The report also highlights serious concerns about the mental health of teenagers in Cyprus. Only 49% of those surveyed scored above 50 points on the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index—the minimum threshold for what is considered a “healthy” level of mental wellbeing. This places Cypriot teens among the lowest in Europe in terms of mental health.