|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
UK: 25% of ethnic minority Scots have tried drugs
Vicky Collins The Herald, Glasgow
Tuesday 17 Dec 2002 A NEW report showing that nearly a quarter of ethnic minority Scots have tried illegal substances has exploded the myth that drug misuse is a problem only among their white counterparts. Bashir Maan, a Glasgow city councillor and head of the National Association of British Pakistanis, said the survey, released yesterday by Greater Glasgow NHS Board, showed the Muslim community in Glasgow had failed its young people and a campaign was needed to help solve the problem. It has also led to calls for better addiction services targeted specifically at Scotland's black and Asian population. The survey found that a quarter of Pakistani, 24% of Chinese, and 21% of Indian young people in Scotland had tried illegal substances, with men three times more likely than women to have experimented. It also found evidence of a binge drinking culture among young Pakistani Scots, a predominantly Muslim community whose religion teaches abstinence from alcohol. The poll, which surveyed 174 young people aged between 16 and 24 from three ethnic minority communities, is the first study of its kind into the use of drink and drugs within Scotland's minority ethnic groups. It found a quarter of Pakistani Scots had tried illegal drugs, nearly half of whom had used some kind of banned substance in the past month. By comparison, 24% of Chinese youths had used drugs, although just 4% of the total had done so in the past month. The figures for Indian youths were 21% and 9% respectively. Only 38% of young Pakistanis had tried alcohol, but the research found that those who did drink were more likely than young people from other minority ethnic backgrounds to consume large amounts. Seven out of 10 Indian Scots and 92% of Chinese Scots had drunk alcohol, the survey found. Cannabis was the most popular drug used by the young people, with almost a quarter admitting they had tried it. The research confirms that drug and alcohol abuse is lower among ethnic minorities than white youths, but shatters the myth that substance abuse among young Scots is a problem purely for the white community. Figures from the 2000 Scottish Crime Survey revealed nearly four in 10 Scots aged between 20 and 24 had tried drugs. The 1998 Scottish Health Survey found 95% of 16 to 24-year-old Scots had drunk alcohol. Evelyn Borland, acting director of health promotion for Greater Glasgow Health Board, said: "The findings have confirmed there is a small but potentially significant problem among the young black and minority ethnic groups in Glasgow - albeit on a smaller scale than among their white peers - and that is something the NHS must and will address." Greater Glasgow NHS Board and Glasgow City Council have been working together for more than two years to develop an addiction service for ethnic minorities and now plan to launch new services to help combat the growing problem. Bashir Maan said: "We have tried to bring them up in a religion which prohibits any use of alcohol and drugs but this shows we have clearly failed our youngsters."
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!