As part of the "Addiction Prevention Month," a presentation was held in Travnik to share the results of a survey on addictions among children and youth aged 13 to 17. The findings revealed that one in four teenagers in Bosnia and Herzegovina smokes tobacco, one in five consumes alcohol, and 26 percent regularly engage in gambling.

The survey, conducted on a sample of 1,066 respondents, showed that 70 percent of young people have been exposed to gambling, while 8 percent exhibit pathological gambling behavior, according to a statement from the Municipality of Travnik.

In addition to gambling, the study highlighted that youth are experimenting with drugs, often starting with marijuana before moving to psychostimulants. Half of the respondents reported trying alcohol before the age of 13.

The findings also indicated that 18 percent of teenagers smoke cigarettes, 24.8 percent use electronic cigarettes, and 6.4 percent use snus. Internet addiction has emerged as another significant issue, with more than 90 percent of respondents spending at least two hours online daily.

Sinisa Beljo, a representative of the “Narko Ne” association, emphasized that the results expose serious gaps within the societal system. He expressed concern that not all parents consented to their children participating in the survey and that some schools and cantonal ministries of education declined to take part.

A team composed of representatives from municipal and school institutions, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Central Bosnia Canton, and the Municipal Court stressed the importance of developing programs that offer young people alternative activities to combat the spread of addictions.