The proportion of Irish students who had been drinking any alcohol during the last 12 months is a little higher than average (88 compared to 83%). However, the proportion that had been drunk during the same period is substantially higher than the average (72 versus 53%). The lifetime smoking prevalence is about the same as the average (67 compared to 66%) and the same is true for the 30 days prevalence (33 versus 35%). The use of marijuana or hashish is twice as common in Ireland than the average for all ESPAD countries (39 versus 21%), while the use of illicit drugs other than cannabis only is slightly above average (9 versus 6%).

Use of inhalants, however, is about twice the average (18 compared to 10%). There are fewer Irish students than the ESPAD average that have used tranquillisers or sedatives without a doctor’s prescription (2 compared to 6%). A slightly higher proportion than average reported use of alcohol in combination with pills (9 versus 7%)