Addictions, Gen Z on the front line: one in four young people use substances and 910,000 'get high'
The experts' point: more than 160,000 Italian students between 15 and 19 years of age are 'poly-consumers' with a use of at least two illegal psychoactive substances, and among them there is a higher consumption of cannabis combined with nicotine and alcohol
Five million Italians at risk of addiction, 910,000 young people who regularly 'get high', 79 new psychoactive substances identified this year alone. Numbers that photograph a silent but devastating health emergency, at the centre of the 10th National Congress of the Italian Society for Addiction Pathologies (19-21 November in Rome). "We can no longer afford to look the other way," says Claudio Leonardi, President of S.I.Pa.D. "These numbers tell the stories of people, families, entire communities that need concrete answers. Our congress will be an opportunity to share best practices, therapeutic innovations, and the most effective prevention strategies.
The numbers
According to the European Union's Drugs Agency (EUDA) and the WHO, substance use causes 600,000 avoidable deaths a year worldwide, including overdoses, related illnesses, accidents and suicides.
In Italy, the data are alarming. Four million Italians over the age of 11 drink alcohol at health-risk levels, while one million are harmful consumers. Particularly worrying is the 80% increase among female consumers in the last ten years. Gen Z pays the highest price: 910,000 young people get high regularly, representing 25% of their age group.
In 2024, 8,378 admissions to the emergency department for directly drug-related conditions were recorded, a slight reduction compared to 2023 (-2.5%): 43% concerned individuals aged between 25 and 44, but the figure for minors, who accounted for 10% of admissions, is worrying.
The new substances
In 2024, the News-D alert system identified 79 New Psychoactive Substances circulating in the country. These were mainly synthetic cathinones (27%), synthetic cannabinoids (24%), phenylethylamines (8%) and synthetic opioids (8%). This is a constantly evolving market that challenges health and law enforcement professionals on a daily basis.
More than 160,000 Italian students between the ages of 15 and 19 can be considered 'poly-consumers', having used at least two illegal psychoactive substances, and among them there is a higher consumption of cannabis combined with nicotine and alcohol.
