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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).”
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