Rise in school leaving and family strife in teenage addiction

There was a sharp increase last year in the number of young people attending the HSE adolescent addiction service who have left education and whose parents have separated.

There was a sharp increase last year in the number of young people attending the HSE adolescent addiction service who have left education and whose parents have separated.

The service’s 2023 annual report also raised concerns about the revival of a challenge on social media where teenagers consume a cocktail of substances, including cough syrup, soft drinks, pieces of hard candy, and sometimes alcohol.