National school survey

This chapter provides key points from a report produced by the Office for National Statistics describing the result of a survey of substance use (smoking, drinking and drugs) among secondary school children. This abstract focuses on findings relevant to drug misuse. Readers are directed to the main report for further detail: Goddard, E and Higgins, V. Smoking, drinking and drug use among young teenagers in 1998: Volume 2: Scotland, 1999 (London: SO).

Background

This was the latest in a biennial series of surveys of secondary school children and was carried out in England and Scotland at the request of the Department of Health and the Scottish Executive Health Department.

Sample

Estimates were required for the population of secondary school pupils in school years 1 to 4 inclusive; that is, mainly pupils who were aged 12 to 15 at the start of the school year in September 1998. The survey covered pupils attending all types of schools, including maintained and independent secondary schools but excluding special schools. Information was obtained from 3538 pupils in the 122 co-operating schools, 87% of those selected for interview. When taking into account school non-response, the overall response rate is 71%.

Key points

• About two fifths, 41%, of pupils had been offered at least one of a list of illegal drugs. The likelihood of being offered drugs increased with age: 21% of 12 year olds had been offered drugs, compared with 68% of 15 year olds. Boys were more likely to have been offered them than were girls (44% compared with 38%).
• Pupils were much more likely to have been offered cannabis (34%) than any other type of drug. Even so, 17% of pupils had been offered stimulants (cocaine, crack, ecstasy, amphetamines, poppers), 14%, psychedelic drugs (LSD, magic mushrooms), and 13%, glue. Five per cent of pupils said they had been offered heroin.
• Although 41% of pupils had been offered drugs, a much smaller proportion, 18%, had ever used drugs. The prevalence of drug use increased sharply with age: almost two fifths (39%) of 15 year olds had used drugs compared with only 3% of 12 year olds. Again, boys were more likely to have used drugs than were girls (19% compared with 16%).
• Over half (52%) of those who had ever taken drugs had only ever used cannabis, 42% had used cannabis and other drugs, and 6% had used other drugs only.
• Of the 18% of pupils who had ever used drugs, only just over half - 10% of all pupils - had done so in the last month, and a further 5% had done so in the last year, though not in the last month. Two per cent of pupils had last used drugs more than a year ago.
• The likelihood of having ever used drugs is strongly related to smoking experience: 64% of regular smokers had used drugs, compared with only 2% of those who had never smoked. Drug use was also related to usual drinking frequency, but a little less strongly than in relation to smoking - 57% of those who drank at least once a week had used drugs, compared with only 1% of those who had never had a drink.
• When the different combinations of smoking and drinking behaviour are considered, the association is even more striking. Virtually no children who had never smoked or drunk alcohol had ever used drugs, but as many as 78% of regular smokers who drank at least once a week had done so.