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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Increase in drug use by children
Stewart Tendler, Crime Correspondent The Times
Friday 26 Jul 2002 THE taking of illegal drugs, largely cannabis, by children has nearly doubled in four years, according to a government survey. The figures also show that among young people aged 16 to 24 the proportion who had tried cocaine rose from 1 per cent in 1994 to 5 per cent in 2000. In 2001 20 per cent of children aged between 11 and 15 had taken drugs against 11 per cent when the survey, across England and Wales, was first carried out in 1998. The figures also show that increasing numbers of younger children are trying drugs. In 1998 1 per cent of children aged 11 had taken drugs in the previous year against 6 per cent for last year. In 1998 no child aged 11 had taken drugs in the previous month. Last year 3 per cent said they had. The rate of drug use increased sharply with age, and 39 per cent of children aged 15 said they had used drugs within the previous 12 months. Thirteen per cent of children aged 11 to 15 had taken cannabis, 1 per cent had tried heroin and 1 per cent cocaine. Overall 4 per cent had used class A drugs in the previous year. The figures were published by the Department of Health and the Government's statistical service. Among those aged 16 to 24 29 per cent had taken drugs in 1999 and 18 per cent in the month before the survey was taken. Twenty-six per cent had taken cannabis and 5 per cent cocaine. One per cent had taken heroin and 1 per cent crack cocaine. The statistics show that among 16 to 24-year-olds, the proportion who had taken drugs during 2000 was the same as in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000. The only drug to show a significant increase in misuse between 1994 and 2000 was cocaine.
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