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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Ireland: One-in-10 children smoking cannabis
Colette Keane Irish Examiner
Thursday 17 Apr 2003 MORE than one in 10 children are taking cannabis and more are sniffing glue, figures published yesterday show. A national survey of 5,712 children (aged from 10-17) found 12% are using cannabis, with 11% reporting using the drug in the past 12 months. Looking at other substances, the survey found that one in 20 schoolboys is sniffing glue or solventsand the rate among girls was 4.1%.A further 5.6% of boys reported using other drugs and 4.1% of girls said they were using drugs other than cannabis, or solvents. Cannabis use among young boys in the last 12 months has not changed much with 13.4% reporting smoking the drug in 2002 compared with 14% in 1998. However, usage levels among girls has increased, up from 6.7% in 1998 to 9.5% in 2002. The surveys are made up of the National Health and Lifestyle survey aimed at Irish adults and the Health Behaviour in School Aged Children survey or HBSC, which looked at the health and lifestyle of schoolgoing children and young adults. Questioning 5,992 adults, the survey found 9% used cannabis in the past 12 months, a 1% increase on 1998 figures. A clear gender difference emerged in the course of the survey, with 12% of men and 7% of women smoking cannabis in the past 12 months. Interestingly, cannabis use is notably higher among people educated to third level. Lifetime use of marijuana or cannabis among adults has increased by 4.2% in men and 3.2% in women, but use in the last 12 months is virtually unchanged. Cocaine usage has increased from 1.8% to 3% in men and from 0.6% in women to 1.9%. The rate of ecstasy use has climbed from 2.9% to 3.9% in men and from 1.5% to 2.4% in women.
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