Recent data from the European Union Drugs Agency reveals that cannabis use among 15 and 16-year-olds in Malta has not changed since the substance was legalized for recreational use in 2021. According to the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs 2024, 11 percent of teenagers surveyed reported having tried cannabis at least once in their lives, consistent with figures from 2019.
The report indicates that current cannabis use, defined as consumption within the last 30 days, hovers just above 4 percent, while early onset use—defined as using cannabis at age 13 or younger—remains at around 2 percent. Approximately 30 percent of students stated that cannabis was “fairly or very easy” to acquire, a slight decrease from 33 percent in 2019. Although access to cannabis is perceived as slightly more available in Malta compared to the EU average (27 percent), the rates of lifetime, recent, and early onset cannabis use among this age group align with averages across 37 surveyed countries.
Interestingly, while boys generally report higher cannabis consumption, Malta shows an exception where girls (14 percent) use cannabis more than boys (8.6 percent). This marks the first time since the survey began in 1999 that female usage has surpassed male usage.
Malta legalized cannabis for recreational use in 2021, allowing adults to carry up to seven grams and cultivate up to four cannabis plants. The legislation attracted criticism from organizations such as Caritas and the OASI Foundation, which voiced concerns that the law would lead to increased perceptions of cannabis as harmless among youth, potentially driving up usage rates. Additionally, the legislation established cannabis associations, the only venues where legal cannabis can be purchased, with the first opening last year. The law prohibits consumption by individuals under 18 years of age.
A separate study conducted earlier this year found that 92 percent of individuals aged 18 to 30 felt confident in their ability to remain drug-free, regardless of the legal changes.
In contrast to cannabis, cigarette usage among teenagers has declined. The percentage of 15 to 16-year-olds who reported trying cigarettes at least once dropped from 22 percent in 2019 to 16 percent in 2024.
E-cigarette usage among Maltese teens is among the lowest in Europe, with only 10 percent reporting use in the preceding 30 days, surpassed only by the Faroe Islands at 6 percent. The report noted that more girls use e-cigarettes than boys in Malta, with a gap of 13 percentage points.
Alcohol consumption also shows significant gender disparities. Girls are about 10 percentage points more likely than boys to have tried alcohol, consumed it in the last 30 days, and engaged in binge drinking, defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting. Additionally, girls are significantly more likely to have tried illicit drugs, with 15 percent reporting past use compared to 9 percent of boys.
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