A new study into substance use among adolescents in Ibiza has measured nitrous oxide consumption for the first time, with 4.5% of students surveyed saying they have tried the substance at least once.

The finding comes from the 2026 Study on Substance Use Among Adolescents in Ibiza, carried out by the Centre for Studies and Prevention of Addictive Behaviours (CEPCA) of the Consell de Ibiza.

The study surveyed 3,117 students from 18 educational centres across the island, representing 36.4% of a total population of 8,567 students across nine educational levels in secondary education, Bachillerato and vocational training.

4.5% Report Having Tried Nitrous Oxide

For the first time, the CEPCA study included questions about nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas”.

A total of 4.5% of the adolescents surveyed said they had consumed it at some point.

Applied to the study's sample of more than 3,100 students, that represents approximately 140 respondents who said they had tried nitrous oxide.

The figure refers to having consumed the substance at least once. It does not establish how frequently those adolescents use it, whether they currently consume it, or how many adolescents across the entire island use it.

CEPCA has identified the appearance of nitrous oxide in the study as a new consumption pattern that will require monitoring in future editions.

A Broader Shift in Adolescent Consumption

Nitrous oxide is one of several new or changing patterns identified in the 2026 study.

Overall, the research found that consumption of tobacco and cannabis has fallen significantly compared with previous studies conducted in 2018 and 2022.

In 2026, 81.5% of respondents said they had never smoked tobacco, compared with 67.5% in 2022 and 59.9% in 2018.

Cannabis showed a similar decline. The proportion of adolescents who said they had never tried it increased to 86.1% in 2026, compared with 76.7% in 2022 and 68.3% in 2018. Cannabis use during the previous 30 days was reported by 4.9% of respondents, compared with 9.8% in 2022 and 16.2% in 2018.

Vaping and Energy Drinks Raise New Concerns

While traditional tobacco and cannabis consumption has declined, the study highlights vaping and energy drinks as growing areas of concern.

Some 14.9% of adolescents reported having vaped during the previous 30 days. Among those who vape, 68.6% use products containing nicotine. The reported average age of starting to vape is 13.3 years.

Energy drinks were even more widespread.

A total of 72.3% of respondents said they had tried or consumed energy drinks at some point, while 31.5% reported consumption during the previous 30 days.

The average age of starting was 12.3 years. Among those who consume energy drinks, 20.7% said they had mixed them with alcohol during the previous 30 days.

Alcohol Remains Widely Used

Alcohol consumption has also declined compared with previous studies, although it remains the most widely consumed recreational substance among adolescents when energy drinks are excluded.

The average age of starting alcohol consumption was reported at 13.3 years.

The study found that 51% of respondents said they had never been drunk, compared with 42.6% in 2022 and 44.1% in 2018.

Among adolescents who drink alcohol, 56.6% said their families allow them to drink. The study also found that in around half of cases, the alcohol was purchased by the young person themselves or by another minor.

Concerns Over Perception of Risk

The study also examined how adolescents perceive the risks associated with different substances and products.

Around half of respondents consider vaping to be little or not dangerous, while close to 40% have a similar perception of alcohol.

Energy drinks show an even wider gap between consumption and perceived risk: only around two in ten adolescents consider them fairly or very dangerous.

The findings have prompted CEPCA to emphasise the importance of continuing prevention and education, particularly as new consumption patterns emerge.

Ibiza Has Already Introduced New Nitrous Oxide Rules

The study comes shortly after the Balearic Government introduced new regulations concerning recreational nitrous oxide.

A decree-law approved in August 2026 prohibits the sale, supply and advertising of nitrous oxide when it is intended for recreational inhalation. The regulation also strengthens protections against access to the substance by minors.

The rules do not prohibit legitimate medical, dental, hospital, food or industrial uses of nitrous oxide.

Breaches of the new restrictions are classified as serious offences under the Balearic Islands' legislation on drug dependencies and other addictions. The applicable fine can range from €6,001 to €60,000, depending on the circumstances and seriousness of the infringement.

Prevention Remains a Key Focus

The CEPCA study also examined the reach of prevention programmes in Ibiza's schools.

Around 80% of secondary-school students had received at least one CEPCA prevention session, bringing intervention levels back towards those seen before the decline associated with the pandemic.

According to the study, students reported that these sessions had reinforced decisions not to consume tobacco, cannabis, vaping products and alcohol, although these are self-reported assessments of the sessions' impact rather than an independent measurement of their effectiveness.

The 2026 research provides the third comparable snapshot of substance use among adolescents in Ibiza, following studies conducted in 2018 and 2022.

The addition of nitrous oxide gives the island's prevention services a new baseline from which to monitor its reported use among young people in future studies.

Ibiza One Stop Accuracy Note

The key figure is 4.5%, not 45%. It represents adolescents in the 2026 CEPCA survey who reported having tried nitrous oxide at some point. The survey included 3,117 students from 18 educational centres and does not establish that 4.5% of all adolescents in Ibiza currently consume the substance.

The study also does not provide a frequency-of-use figure for nitrous oxide in the information publicly reported so far. The approximately 140 figure is an estimate based on 4.5% of the 3,117 students surveyed.

The Balearic Islands have separately introduced regulations restricting the recreational sale, supply and advertising of nitrous oxide, while preserving authorised medical, dental, hospital, food and industrial uses.