Substance Use Among Adolescents in Africa: A Pooled Analysis of 25 Countries

Strategic Insights -

A comprehensive study conducted by researchers from the University of York and published in BMJ Open has shed light on the prevalence of psychoactive substance use among school-going adolescents in 25 African countries. The study relied on a pooled cross-sectional dataset from the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) conducted between 2003 and 2017. The research found that approximately 9.5% of adolescents aged 11-16 years used alcohol, while 6.2% used cigarettes, and 3.4% used marijuana in the past 30 days.

Key Takeaways:

  • The prevalence of alcohol use among adolescents was 9.5% (95% CI 8.4% to 10.7%), while that of cigarette smoking was 6.2% (95% CI 5.0% to 7.6%), and marijuana was 3.4% (95% CI 2.7% to 4.2%).
  • The prevalence of dual use of alcohol and cigarettes was 3.1% (95% CI 2.4% to 3.9%), while that of alcohol and marijuana was 2.0% (95% CI 1.5% to 2.5%), and cigarettes and marijuana was 1.4% (95% CI 1.1% to 1.8%).
  • Having parents who smoke any tobacco products, being bullied, missing school without permission, and experiencing sadness and hopelessness were positively associated with being a current user, irrespective of substance type.
  • The prevalence of cigarette smoking was significantly higher among boys than girls, but there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of alcohol or marijuana by sex.

Statistics:

  • 9.5% of adolescents aged 11-16 years used alcohol in the past 30 days.
  • 6.2% of adolescents in the same age group used cigarettes in the past 30 days.
  • 3.4% of adolescents used marijuana in the past 30 days.
  • 3.1% of adolescents used both alcohol and cigarettes in the past 30 days.
  • 2.0% of adolescents used both alcohol and marijuana in the past 30 days.
  • 1.4% of adolescents used both cigarettes and marijuana in the past 30 days.

Sources:

  • What are the factors associated with alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use among adolescents in Africa? Evidence from the Global School-based Health Survey. BMJ Open, 2025,15(7).
  • [BMJ Open](http://bmjopen.bmj.com/)
  • BMJ Publishing Group
  • DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-089096
  • University of York, Department of Health Sciences, York, United Kingdom.