“We conducted the survey on the occasion of the so-called Dry February, an awareness campaign encouraging personal experience with a month of alcohol abstinence. According to the survey results, last year every eighth student who normally drinks alcohol successfully participated, and this year the interest among students was even greater,” said Radek Schich, director of GTS Alive.

Many students in the survey appreciated alcohol as a way to relax inhibitions when meeting new people or to have a more fun evening with friends. Some also mentioned using alcohol to relieve stress, for example during exam periods. On the other hand, many students are clearly well aware of its negative effects: they often mentioned unpleasant hangovers, the off-putting influence of alcohol on some friends, and experiences with alcoholics in their own families. Complaints about alcohol’s impact on gaining weight were also common.

Students who do not drink alcohol most often cited that alcohol brings them nothing or that they dislike the taste as their reason for abstaining. Some also cannot tolerate the feeling of losing control over their actions due to alcohol. However, a significant majority of abstainers complained that they feel pressure from others at various events to drink alcohol as well.

Young people most often drink alcohol with friends or classmates at pubs, restaurants, clubs, or also at dorms or someone’s home. They also frequently drink at family celebrations. More than ten percent of students get drunk at least once a month to the point of feeling sick the next day. Three percent do so weekly. However, the majority say it wouldn’t be hard to imagine their life completely without alcohol, and about thirty percent of students express a rather negative or even very negative opinion about alcohol.

Most students—about a quarter—spend up to 500 CZK on alcohol per month, and one-fifth spend up to 1,000 CZK. However, there are also students who spend as much as 2,500 CZK or more monthly, roughly one in ten. Young people most commonly enjoy beer, as well as wine and cocktails, but over 40% of non-abstainers also don’t shy away from straight spirits.

The survey was conducted among Czech students over 18 years old at the turn of January and February 2023, using an online questionnaire. Given the focus on adult students, the majority of respondents were university students (three-quarters), but it also included adult students from secondary vocational schools, apprenticeships, and grammar schools.

A selection of typical responses to the open question “What positive and negative effects does alcohol bring to your life?”

(students’ answers are kept in their original form, including typos and spelling mistakes)

• Positive – relaxation, gives courage; negative – hangover, every other day I feel sick no matter what I drink, sometimes I don’t know my limit.
• Alcohol often breaks the ice; thanks to it, I can get to know people I don’t know better. I feel more relaxed, for example, at a ball.
• Alcohol has a mostly negative effect, especially in larger amounts, but it’s also the only socially accepted drug in the Czech Republic. Student life is often tough and stressful, and not everyone feels productive at the end of the week. Alcohol helps us let off steam, but I believe there are less harmful substances in the world that could help us relax after difficult exams—though most of them are, of course, illegal in the Czech Republic.
• I only drink alcohol for the taste, when I go out with friends or at family celebrations for a toast. It pairs well with some dishes and helps me relax. On the other hand, if I don’t follow drinking rules, like not drinking on an empty stomach, I feel very tired. I also dislike being around drunk people, especially when they are close to me. Then it’s hard to communicate properly, and they lose their inhibitions.
• I drink alcohol occasionally—sometimes several months go by without drinking, sometimes I drink 3 to 4 times a month. I don’t see anything wrong with having a drink at a party or in a restaurant, but everything in moderation. Personally, I drink what I like, so for the taste and as part of social interaction, or as a reward (after exams, etc.). The negatives are the risk of addiction and health problems from chronic drinking. Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with occasional moderate drinking. If a person can control themselves while under the influence (not being rude, aggressive, etc.), it’s okay.
• On the positive side, alcohol helps to loosen the atmosphere and generally makes it easier to open up. Logically, before inviting someone somewhere and drinking non-alcoholic beverages, I always find it easier to chat after a few beers than just glasses of water. The negative factor is that alcohol is a good servant but a bad master. Morning hangovers are unpleasant, and I avoid them whenever possible. Of course, sometimes alcohol leads to arguments or inappropriate words or actions, which nobody really likes to experience.
• Thanks to alcohol, I’m much more relaxed. I describe myself as an extroverted introvert and enjoy meeting new people, but because of my introverted nature, it’s harder for me to start conversations. With alcohol, it’s much easier and sometimes completely removed. However, I’m strongly against drinking alcohol alone at home. I have a few friends like that, and I feel a bit sorry for them. The negative side is the cost, but I’m better off than others since we have homemade wine from my grandfather and little things like cherry liqueur from my mom.
• My father is an alcoholic, so I directly hate alcohol. But when I’m out with friends, I’ll have a glass.
• Well, given the region I live in, I mostly see negative effects of alcohol on people. People lose control, don’t know how to have fun without it, and often turn to it at the slightest tragedy or life obstacle. However, it does help people relax in difficult situations, and personally, I only drink if I know I’m safe with close ones or friends and want to loosen up a bit. Still, I see many alcoholics of various ages around me, and that strongly discourages me.
• Sometimes it’s not bad to have a glass of wine with family or friends after a hard day or at a celebration. It relaxes the atmosphere, and people say openly what they might not admit otherwise. On the other hand, sometimes too much honesty can be harmful, and if someone overdoes it with alcohol, they might do something they later regret—and the feeling of losing control is unpleasant too.

Notes for editors:

GTS Alive s.r.o.  issues and manages ISIC student cards and ISIC Scholar pupil cards, ITIC teacher cards, and, to a lesser extent, other cards in the Czech Republic. The company was established in August 2000, succeeding GTS International in the Czech Republic. GTS Alive s.r.o. is part of the international GTS Alive Group, headquartered in Prague, with branches in seventeen countries across four continents.

Through the ISIC PORT chip identification system, GTS Alive also provides access security and electronic attendance systems for a number of primary and secondary schools. Additionally, the company facilitates travel and accident insurance for students.

For further information, please contact:

Jan Šimral, media representative of GTS Alive
Tel.: +420 737 944 370
E-mail: info@jansimral.com