Young people surveyed about their use of addictive substances and leisure activities
Young people in the state of Bremen are consuming fewer drugs than three years ago, but are spending more time gaming, gambling, using Instagram, TikTok, and similar platforms. These are the findings of the new "School Bus" study. From autumn 2024 to spring 2025, a total of 1,317 young people aged 14 to 17 in Bremen and Bremerhaven were surveyed about their substance use, their use of gambling and internet services, their self-critical body image, and their assessment of their life situation.
Representative survey interviews students and teachers
The representative "School Bus" study (a survey of students and teachers on substance use) is conducted every three years by Sucht.Hamburg gGmbH, under the leadership of the Senator for Health, Women and Consumer Protection. The Senator for Children and Education and the Senator for Labor, Social Affairs, Youth and Integration contribute to the funding. Parallel surveys are also conducted in Hamburg. In the 2024/25 school year, 544 female and 561 male students participated in Bremen, and 160 female and 106 male students participated in Bremerhaven.
Results of the study presented
Presenting the results, Claudia Bernhard, Senator for Health, Women and Consumer Protection, said: “The ‘School Bus’ study provides a detailed picture of substance use and reveals processes of change in all possible influences, whether gambling, media consumption, or the presence of a possible eating disorder. Therefore, the results offer important insights and recommendations on how preventive and counseling services need to be designed or adapted to be more effective.”
More counselling, more youth protection
“We need to expand digital and therefore easily accessible addiction counselling for minors. Access to alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, and gambling must be restricted. But above all, we need sufficient time and space to address the entire range of young people's lives when it comes to protecting young people in the area of social media,” says Senator Claudia Bernhard.
Alarming: excessive media consumption
Mark Rackles, Senator for Children and Education, stated: “We want our students to grow up healthy and safe. Even though alcohol and cannabis use are declining, the ‘School Bus’ study shows that schools, as well as parents, need to pay closer attention. Excessive media consumption is alarming. Media literacy education must focus even more strongly on mental health issues in the future. We also take seriously the increase in the use of painkillers to enhance performance. We will provide targeted training for our teachers and expand preventative programs so that we can recognize warning signs early and act quickly.”
"Successful addiction prevention is a marathon, not a sprint."
Study leader Theo Baumgärtner from Sucht.Hamburg emphasized: “Successful addiction prevention is a marathon, not a sprint. But the perseverance pays off: The continuous decline in substance use among young people is a clear sign of the effectiveness of factual, ideology-free prevention work. Crucial is education that relies on credible, well-founded information – especially because young people are particularly sensitive to contradictions and expect comprehensible arguments.”
A combination of measures is necessary
“Similarly, clear social framework conditions are needed, such as restricting the availability of addictive substances, noticeable price adjustments, an expanded advertising ban, and the expansion of consumption restrictions in public spaces. This combination of education and structural measures has proven to be very effective and should remain the basis of prevention policy in the future,” adds Theo Baumgärtner.
… to have an impact on the lives of students
Dr. Oliver Peters, Head of the Health and Addiction Prevention Department at the State Institute for Schools (LIS), emphasized: “The ‘School Bus’ study provides valuable insights for tailoring prevention programs in the state of Bremen precisely to the diverse health risks faced by young people. The availability and use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) currently pose a key challenge and must be given greater focus in preventive measures. Thanks to its close ties to schools, the State Agency for Addiction Prevention can directly impact the lives of students – early, effectively, and in a way that is relevant to their everyday lives.”
Results of the "School Bus" study 2024/25
Drugs and medications
Fewer young people are consuming alcohol, cigarettes, illegal drugs, and cannabis. The partial legalization that has been implemented does not appear to have a negative impact on consumption among schoolchildren. However, the use of vaporizers and disposable vapes, and the consumption of new psychoactive substances (NPS) such as synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic opioids via these devices, is increasing. A rising trend is also evident in the use of painkillers.
- In 2024/25, 50 percent of the young people surveyed in Bremen stated that they had never consumed alcohol (2005: 12 percent), while in Bremerhaven the figure was 37 percent (2016: 35 percent).
- 79 percent of young people in Bremen and 78 percent of young people in Bremerhaven stated that they had never smoked a cigarette (2016: 62 and 55 percent respectively).
- 95 percent of young people in Bremen and 94 percent of young people in Bremerhaven do not consume illegal drugs.
- 90 percent of young people in Bremen and 88 percent of young people in Bremerhaven do not consume cannabis (2005: 62 and 76 percent respectively).
- Twelve percent of young people in Bremen and 16 percent in Bremerhaven regularly use vaporizers and disposable vapes; 3 percent of young people in Bremen and 4 percent in Bremerhaven consume NPS (new psychoactive substances) using them. The health risks are very high in individual cases.
- 89 percent of young people in Bremen and 90 percent of young people in Bremerhaven stated that they had already taken painkillers (2021: 65 and 67 percent respectively).
Behavior that increases the risk of addiction
Problems related to the recreational use of various internet applications are worsening. There has been a slight increase in gaming and gambling behavior and a sharp rise in the problematic use of social media, streaming services, and online games. Furthermore, a critical self-image remains widespread among young people, which contributes to the development of problematic eating habits.
- 28 percent of young people in Bremen and 37 percent in Bremerhaven stated that they play a computer game at least once a day. Furthermore, the proportion of young people considered to be "at least at risk of addiction" to PC games has risen significantly to 8 percent in Bremen and 6 percent in Bremerhaven (2021: 6 and 5 percent, respectively).
- Ten percent of young people in Bremen and Bremerhaven regularly participate in gambling for money, even though access is prohibited by law. The proportion of male respondents (13 percent) is twice as high as that of female respondents.
- Although the duration of average leisure-oriented internet use has decreased slightly to an average of 5.2 hours (2021: 5.3), 24 percent of young people in Bremen and 20 percent of those in Bremerhaven show a problematic use of social media (2021: 20 and 17 percent respectively), especially girls (Bremen: 31 percent, Bremerhaven: 29 percent).
- 43 percent of young people in Bremen and 41 percent of those in Bremerhaven reported suffering from mood swings due to their body weight at least monthly or daily (2016: 30 and 36 percent respectively).
- According to the criteria of the Sick Control One Fat scale, 38 percent of young people in Bremen and 36 percent of young people in Bremerhaven are suspected of having an eating disorder (2021: 30 and 31 percent respectively), with female adolescents being particularly affected (54 and 55 percent respectively).
everyday life
The most frequent leisure activity cited by the surveyed young people was surfing the internet. Male teenagers spend a comparatively large amount of time playing computer games and doing sports, while female teenagers prefer reading books and creative hobbies. The frequency of meeting up with friends has decreased, and fewer friends are confided in than in 2021.
The overall life satisfaction of young people is trending upwards again. Female adolescents describe themselves as less satisfied than their male counterparts, particularly regarding their personal satisfaction. Across all survey periods and regions, girls and young women consistently exhibit a highly self-critical attitude.
The "School Bus" study can be accessed via the website of the Senator for Health, Women and Consumer Protection: www.gesundheit.bremen.de
Prevention measures and addiction support services
Kipsy
The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Counseling Center and Outpatient Clinic (Kipsy) at the Bremen Public Health Department offers counseling and support for children and adolescents with all child and adolescent psychiatric conditions as well as eating disorders. More information is available at: www.gesundheitsamt.bremen.de
Escape – Outpatient Clinic for young people with addiction problems
Escape is an additional counseling and support service offered by Kipsy for young people with substance abuse problems and those with non-substance-related behavioral difficulties. The service is also aimed at parents and organizations whose staff work with young people. Further information is available at: www.psychnavi-bremen.de
Outpatient addiction support Bremen – Media addiction specialist center
The Media Addiction Support Center offers assistance to adults and young people at risk of or suffering from media addiction. More information can be found at: ash-bremen.de
Project “Healthy use of media in childhood and adolescence”
The project aims to promote media literacy among children, young people, and parents. More information can be found at: www.gesundheit-nds-hb.de
State Institute for Schools (LIS)
The LIS addiction prevention website provides information on measures and services for schools and professional development for teachers on the topics of substance-related and non-substance-related addictions, as well as prevention strategies. These include programs, projects, training courses, and workshops on the topics of addictive substances, smoking, medication, alcohol, eating disorders, and media. More information can be found at: www.lis.bremen.de
Source: Press Office of the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, The Senator for Health, Women and Consumer Protection / The Senator for Children and Education, Press Release , November 3, 2025