From bars to emergency rooms: Alcohol takes over the lives of young people in Israel

A weekend magazine report reveals a worrying rise in alcohol consumption among teenagers in Israel. Ten children aged 11–13 arrived at the emergency room with alcohol poisoning during the Sukkot holiday. Ichilov Hospital reports a 20% increase in cases, and the Dror Addiction Center recorded a 300% rise in addicts, leading to the opening of a treatment center for children as young as 12.

A weekend magazine report by i24NEWS reveals a worrying rise in alcohol consumption among teenagers in Israel, contrary to the global trend of declining use. During the recent Sukkot holiday, ten children aged 11 to 13 arrived at the Dana emergency room with alcohol poisoning, some unconscious. Ichilov Hospital reports a 20% increase over three years in pediatric emergency room visits due to alcohol poisoning. The Dror Addiction Center of the Public Health Association recorded a 300% rise in the number of teenagers addicted to alcohol, leading to the opening of a treatment center for children from age 12. The report links the increase to the upheavals Israel has experienced, from the COVID-19 period through the war and the events of October 7, and cites studies on the connection between trauma and substance use.