Malta Records Europe’s Lowest Cannabis Use Rates Among Young People

Malta has one of the lowest rates of cannabis use among young people in Europe, according to new EU data.

Just 1.2% of people aged between 15 and 34 in Malta reported using cannabis in the past year, placing the country among the lowest in the European Union.

The figure stands in stark contrast to countries like Italy, where 21.5% of young adults said they had used cannabis over the same period, meaning more than one in five people in that age group.

Across the EU as a whole, cannabis remains the most commonly used illicit drug. Around 15.3% of people aged 15 to 34, equivalent to roughly 15.4 million young Europeans, reported using it in the previous year. Men were generally around twice as likely as women to consume cannabis.

The data also highlights how cannabis laws continue to vary across Europe. Several countries have relaxed restrictions on personal use in recent years, while others maintain stricter policies, meaning the legal landscape differs significantly from one member state to another.

Researchers note that the figures should be interpreted with caution, as each country’s data comes from its most recent national survey, conducted at different points between 2015 and 2024. As such, the results provide a broad comparison rather than a single snapshot of cannabis use across Europe.

Still, the findings place Malta among the countries with the lowest reported cannabis consumption among young adults, despite the island’s recent reforms allowing adults to legally possess and cultivate limited amounts of cannabis for personal use.

Do you think these statistics are accurate?

Credit: Europe Magazine

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Riana Xerri

Riana is an American-Gozitan content creator and nurse. When she's not working, she's jetting off to see her favourite artists live in concert, capturing the magic of each experience.

You can follow her adventures on Instagram @rianaxerri