Danish Teens Cut Back on Alcohol and Vapes

Femi A.

Writer

February 13, 2026
6:35 pm

A new survey from Copenhagen Municipality shows a significant shift in Danish teens’ substance habits over just two years, with fewer ninth graders experimenting with alcohol, cigarettes, and nicotine products. Researchers cautiously celebrate the findings, though Denmark still holds the European record for youth alcohol consumption.

Sharp Decline in Youth Experimentation with Substances

Young Danes appear to be delaying their first encounters with alcohol and nicotine products, according to a December survey of more than 3,000 ninth grade students in Copenhagen. The findings have prompted optimism among researchers who study youth and substance use patterns.

Nicotine Products Show Steepest Drop

The proportion of students who have never tried e-cigarettes, puff bars, and vapes rose from 65 percent to 75 percent between 2023 and 2025. Similarly, those who have never experimented with snus, chewing tobacco, and nicotine pouches increased from 81 percent to 89 percent during the same period.

Professor Jakob Johan Demant from the University of Copenhagen describes the shift as remarkably positive. The decline contradicts earlier concerns that young people would simply replace traditional cigarettes with alternative nicotine delivery systems rather than avoiding nicotine altogether.

Reversal of Earlier Explosion in Nicotine Use

Professor Janne Tolstrup from the National Institute of Public Health notes that Denmark has witnessed an explosion in nicotine product consumption among youth in recent years. The apparent stagnation and potential reversal of this trend marks a significant development in public health.

However, experts emphasize the need for caution in interpreting these results. National data covering all of Denmark will be released later this spring, which will reveal whether Copenhagen’s trends reflect broader patterns across the country.

National Prevention Efforts Begin to Show Results

The improved statistics may reflect the impact of coordinated prevention initiatives launched in recent years. A national prevention plan covering 2023 to 2027 specifically targets reductions in nicotine, alcohol, and tobacco use among children and young people.

Policy Framework Focuses on Access and Appeal

The prevention strategy emphasizes strengthened efforts in municipalities, limited availability of substances to minors, and smoke-free environments. Key measures include preventing sales to underage buyers, removing attractive flavorings from nicotin products, and promoting social settings free from substances.

Lotus Sofie Bast, senior researcher in tobacco and nicotine prevention at the University of Southern Denmark, indicates that the downward trend appears to extend beyond Copenhagen. Recent surveys across Denmark suggest a slowing of the previously sharp increases in youth nicotine consumption.

Treatment System Faces Rising Demand

Despite improvements in prevention, Denmark’s substance misuse treatment system continues to experience growing demand. The number of people in treatment reached 20,700 in 2024, representing a 7.4 percent increase since 2021. Young men aged 18 to 29 comprise 35 percent of adults entering treatment, making them the largest demographic group. Anyone requiring Danish healthcare for substance issues can access these services.

Denmark Retains Unwanted European Record

Despite positive trends among the youngest students, Danish youth continue to lead Europe in alcohol consumption. The latest European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs from 2024 reveals stark differences between Denmark and neighboring countries.

Drinking Patterns Remain Exceptionally High

Nearly seven out of ten Danish ninth graders reported drinking alcohol within the past month, according to the survey of approximately 5,500 students from 170 Danish schools. In Norway, only 32 percent reported recent drinking, while Sweden recorded 24 percent and Iceland just 12 percent.

The data demonstrates that Danish youth not only drink more frequently but also consume alcohol specifically to become intoxicated. This pattern distinguishes Denmark from neighboring countries where youth drinking, while present, occurs at lower rates and with different motivations.

Cultural Acceptance Perpetuates High Consumption

Professor Demant argues that Danish culture tolerates youth intoxication in ways that other Nordic countries do not. Young Danes show less fear of losing control or becoming drunk, which influences their approach to alcohol and potentially other substances as well.

Parental attitudes represent a significant barrier to further progress, according to Demant. Many Danish parents experienced their own youth during periods of heavy drinking culture and may unconsciously mirror those norms when setting expectations for their children.

Student Perspectives Reflect Shifting Social Norms

Individual students describe changes in peer attitudes toward drinking and substance use. The social pressure to participate in drinking has diminished in many friend groups, creating space for young people to make different choices.

Declining Social Status of Intoxication

Tristan Lauritzen, a 15-year-old student from Klostermarken School in Aalborg, reports that drinking no longer carries the social cachet it once did. While alcohol remains available at parties, he perceives no particular status attached to consuming more or becoming intoxicated.

Acceptance of non-drinking has increased across peer groups, according to students. Individual choices regarding alcohol face less scrutiny or pressure, with significant variation in drinking behavior both between and within friend groups.

Personal Choice Takes Priority Over Peer Pressure

Loukia Kontogianni, also 15 and from the same school, chooses not to drink alcohol. Her decision stems from personal preference rather than moral opposition, as she simply lacks interest in becoming drunk or experiencing the physical consequences of excessive drinking.

These individual accounts align with survey data suggesting that while drinking remains common, the social dynamics surrounding alcohol have shifted. Researchers interpret this as evidence of gradual cultural change, though they caution that such transformations require sustained effort over many years.

Critical Transition Period Remains Vulnerable

Existing research identifies the transition from ninth grade to upper secondary education as a particularly vulnerable period for increased substance use. Both nicotine and alcohol consumption typically rise sharply during this transition, making the recent ninth grade data only part of the complete picture.

Missing Data on Older Youth Essential

Professor Tolstrup emphasizes the need for data covering older teenagers to fully assess whether prevention efforts have succeeded. The explosion in nicotine use has been particularly severe among 15 to 17-year-olds, where consumption patterns diverge most dramatically from the improvements seen among younger students.

Alcohol intake has shown modest improvement in this older age group, but nicotine consumption remains extremely high. Understanding whether the positive trends among ninth graders will persist as these students age represents a critical question for public health officials.

Brain Development Increases Youth Vulnerability

The heightened focus on youth substance use reflects scientific understanding of adolescent brain development. The brain continues developing until approximately age 25, with alcohol causing more extensive damage to young people than adults. Impaired memory, reduced learning capacity, and weakened self-control increase risk-taking behavior and create greater likelihood of accidents, violence, and criminal activity. Early heavy drinking also correlates with alcohol-related problems in adulthood, creating potential cycles of dependency and harm across the lifespan.

Sustained Cultural Change Takes Time

Researchers agree that the Copenhagen data signals the beginning of cultural transformation among Danish youth, though they stress that such changes unfold gradually rather than overnight. The challenge now involves maintaining and accelerating positive trends while addressing Denmark’s persistently high overall youth consumption rates.

Professor Tolstrup characterizes the shift as a cultural change in progress rather than a completed transformation. The combination of policy initiatives, shifting social norms, and increased awareness of health risks has created conditions for improvement, but sustained effort across multiple years will determine whether Denmark can reduce its European-leading youth alcohol consumption to levels comparable with neighboring countries.