The use of alcohol and tobacco by young people and children is closely linked to the use of illicit drugs, a UN-backed narcotics control body warned. The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) annual report cites studies that reveal that, in young people aged between 16 and 19, early use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis leads to an increased likelihood of the use of opiates and cocaine in adulthood. The report also shows that substance abuse and associated health consequences are highest among young people, with cannabis being the most widely used substance.
The highest rate of use, in young people aged 15-16, is in Europe (13.9 percent), followed by the Americas (11.6 percent), Oceania (11.4 percent), Africa (6.6 percent), and Asia (2.7 percent). The decriminalization of cannabis in some countries is criticized by the INCB, whose President, Cornelis P. de Joncheere, said that,…
