Subj: Ire: Teenagers As Young As 15 Spend Average Of Pounds 23 A Week On Drugs



Source: The Examiner (Ireland)



Pubdate: 20 November 1999





Teenagers As Young As 15 Spend Average Of Pounds 23 A Week On Drugs

by John O'Mahony and Dan Collins



TEENAGERS as young as 15 are spending an average of Pounds 23 a week on

drugs, according to a report on substance and alcohol abuse.



The study, the first of its kind in the country to be researched and

compiled by young people, found that one in every four teenagers smokes

cannabis on a regular basis. Alcohol and tobacco were also found to be the

most common drugs used by teenagers.



The average weekly expenditure by those teenagers who took part in the

survey was pounds 25 on alcohol; pounds 19 on cigarettes and pounds 23 on

drugs.



Only a small minority of those questioned expressed concerns about the

impact of drugs on their health.



Difficulties with friends and parents were given as the most common

relationship problems associated with drugs use.



Some 291 teenagers from Cork took part in the survey which was compiled by

the Community Outreach Drugs Awareness Project. A further 80 were involved

in group discussions.



"The views of a large number of young people that we spoke to and surveyed

were that there was not an adequate level of facilities for young people,"

a spokesperson for CODAP said.



The majority of young people who took part in the study were still

attending school. Among those a large percentage believed that young people

dropped out of school early because of a lack of money.



"All our research indicates that the use of drugs is widespread among young

people - overall, 46% of respondents use cigarettes daily; 51% drink

weekly; 24% smoke cannabis weekly and 13% took solvents and glue

occasionally," CODAP said.



The vast majority of respondents were introduced to drugs by friends and

just over one third said they took drugs on their own for boredom and

stress. The most common places where young people first experimented were

in public greens, street corners and friends' houses.



The report identified the need for additional facilities for young people

and called for the setting up of cafe/centres to allow teenagers 'hang out'

in a relaxed atmosphere.



Launching the report at Cork's City Hall, Lord Mayor Damien Wallace said a

strategic approach was needed to tackle the growing drugs problem in the city.



While local government, gardaí, community and voluntary groups and schools

had a role to play, young people must have the courage to say no to drugs,

he said.



Independent Cork Corporation Cllr Con O'Leary was critical of schools which

declined to take part in the survey. Of the 15 schools contacted in Cork,

only six agreed to participate.



"I believe a lot of principals bury their heads when it comes to drugs, but

this is all part of education."