Bulgaria Ranks 1st in Europe in Terms of Cigarette Consumption Among 16-Year Old Pupils

Bulgaria ranks first in Europe in terms of the consumption of cigarettes among 16-year old pupils, reported the National Centre for Public Health Protection, cited by BNR.

A research of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addictions showed that there is a decline in the use of alcohol and cigarettes among teenagers in Europe. Among Bulgarian 16-year old pupils the perception of easy access to one of the most widespread drugs - cannabis - is marking a permanent increase, as opposed to the tendency in other European countries.

According to Momchil Vasilev, Director of the National Centre for Drugs, in the toxicology department of the Pirogov Emergency Hospital, it is mainly drug addicts who use cannabis that are being treated.

Bulgaria is one of the few countries where girls smoke more than boys. Despite the strict rules on tobacco products in most countries, in Europe over 60% of teenagers continue to say that they have relatively easy access to those.