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12 The Portugal News ·21 Nov 2020 News
Smoking down but drinking on the up
Tobacco consumption among young people up to 16 years has been decreasing since 2003
in Portugal, but alcohol consumption has increased slightly over the last four years.
report shows a decrease of three percentage of 16-year-old quantity of alcohol consumed
percentage points in traditional students who ingested at on the last occasion being the
tobacco consumption in line least one alcoholic beverage tenth highest among the 35
with the European trend. during their lifetime increased countries.
Also decreasing was the from 71 percent to 77 percent The country also stands out
consumption of electronic and the prevalence of ‘binge’ on the negative side for its
tobacco, which fell in Portugal consumption (a large quantity early alcohol consumption,
by five percentage points over on the same occasion) also as “the percentage of
the same period, more than the increased. 16-year-olds who started
European average (which fell Despite the increase, the drinking at age 13 or
by two percentage points), and country remains below younger is considerably
Portugal is the country with the the European average for higher than the European
second lowest consumption of the prevalence of alcohol average”. On the other hand,
this type of cigarette. consumption in the last there are fewer who got
Compared to the European 30 days, the prevalence of drunk so early.
average, the results show falls drunkenness also in the last 30 Regarding other addictive
in the consumption not only days and ‘binge drinking’, while behaviours, more than half
of tobacco, but also of illicit it stands out in the choice of of Portuguese young people,
drugs and alcohol, but, in the drinks. who are among those who
opposite direction, Portugal After Spain, Portugal is the spend the most time on social
recorded a slight increase in second country where most networks at the weekend,
he conclusions Project on Alcohol and other the development of addictive alcohol consumption, reversing young people have chosen admitted having had problems
can be found in Drugs (ESPAD), which behavior among young people. the downward path it had been distilled drinks over beer, wine, with the use of the Internet
the European makes it possible to monitor Comparing the latest data for following since 2007. cider or alcopops the last on social networks and 24
T School Survey European trends as regards 2019 with the 2015 study, the Between 2015 and 2019, the time they drank, with the percent in online games.
Air quality improves during lockdown
The concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the air of several Portuguese cities decreased “very significantly” during the first
state of emergency, proving the harmful effects of road traffic on air quality, experts argued.
“The percentages show that the compared the values found between Aveiro 26 percent. takeaways was also a factor that state of calamity, with the confine-
reduction of NO2 is very signifi- the 20 February, 25 days before the “This shows us that this has increased and that I think is ment, the levels of NO2 had been
cant. What has been shown is that declaration of the state of emergen- exceptional situation has given here to stay and may be relevant reduced.
in Lisbon the 79 percent reduction cy (16 March), and 9 April, during us evidence of what we knew in in terms of reducing emissions,” According to Sandra Mesquita,
was due to the state of emergency”, confinement. theory,” she said, noting that this she said. “if the year ended yesterday, we
said Dília Jardim, of the Portuguese In addition to Lisbon’s 79 data gives us “reason to reflect and Sandra Mesquita, from the would be meeting the limit value of
Environment Agency (APA), dur- percent reduction, in Coimbra rethink behaviours and actions.” Commission for Coordination NO2 for 2020, taking into account
ing the conference “Lisbon greener the reduction was 66 percent, in “The adoption of telework for a and Regional Development of the values in five air measurement
and healthier: The Challenges of Porto 62 percent, in Guimarães large part of the population is now Lisbon and Tagus Valley (CCDR- stations in Lisbon (Avenida da
Air Pollution”. 60 percent, in Braga 49 percent, in a reality, the increase in online LVT), further stressed that during Liberdade, Entrecampos, Olivais,
The data taken into account Setúbal 37 percent and finally in services and online shopping and the state of emergency and the Restelo and Santa Cruz - Benfica).”