GOVERNMENT ISSUES LATEST FIGURES ON DRUG USE

The Information Centre for Health and Social Care and the Home Office have released new statistics on trends in drug use. The Information Centre has published Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England 2007, an annual survey of school pupils in England. Key findings include:

the general downward trend in drug use since 2001 among 11 to 15 year olds continues

cannabis use among this age group has continued to fall since 2001

most young people do not feel that drug use is acceptable behaviour for their age group.

The Home Office released data from the 2007/08 British Crime Survey, some of which relates to trends in drug-taking. Key findings include:

• overall use of any illicit drug fell among the 16-59 and the 16-24 age groups since 2006/07
• use of class A drugs also fell among the 16 -59 and the 16-24 age groups in that time
• among 16 -24 year olds, the overall use of illicit drugs is at its lowest ever level since 1995.

However, a reported increase in the schools survey in the use of solvents and glues is a concern.  Addiction Today notes that a growing number of reports about children stealing and using prescribed drugs – often from their grandparents  is not reflected in these reports.

Readers can access full information from the Home Office here  and from the NHS here.