CHILD DRUG ABUSE: A QUARTER OF UNDER 16S HAVE TAKEN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES

The worrying reality of child substance abuse was revealed today
when figures showed a quarter of children have taken drugs and more
than half have consumed alcohol.

Statistics for 2007 from the NHS Information Centre showed a fifth
of 11 to 15-year-olds had drunk alcohol in the past week - including
3% of the 11-year-olds asked.

One in ten of the schoolchildren said they had taken drugs in the
last month, and 6% of pupils smoked at least once a week.

More than half of 11 to 15-year-olds have tried alcohol and a
quarter have taken drugs, according to the NHS

A quarter of the 11 to 15-year-olds had taken drugs at least once,
and 17% in the last year.

This showed similar levels to 2006, when 24% had used illegal
substances and 17% had done so in the previous 12 months.

The figures for last year showed 6% of 11-year-olds had taken drugs
in the last year, and 3% in the last month.

However, the centre said the number of children who had drunk alcohol
in the past seven days had dropped steadily since 2001, and the
proportion who had tried smoking had shrunk since 1982.

Drug taking has also fallen in the six years to 2007 - the number of
youngsters who had used illegal substances in the previous week had
dropped 2%, and the proportion who smoke regularly was at its lowest
in 25 years.

A Department of Health spokesman said UKP30 million had been spent on
drugs advice service Frank in the past five years, and efforts to
combat drinking and smoking among children continued.

The spokesman added: 'The number of pupils who smoke is at its lowest
level since records began in 1982.

'This is good news and shows the message about the dangers of smoking
is getting through to young people.

'Drinking and drug use is also down since 2001.'

The figures were released as the Home Office said drug taking among
16 to 24-year-olds was at its lowest level since 1995 and had dropped
by 2.8% in the past year.

The authors of the British Crime Survey said this was mainly due to a
decrease in the levels of cannabis use.

Cocaine use has increased by nearly fourfold since 1995.

The Home Office figures also show that drug crime rose by 18% in
2007/2008 compared with the previous year, 34,725 more offences.

This has been attributed to an increase in the use of police warnings
for cannabis possession, which were up 28% compared with the previous year.

Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said: 'This demonstrates that the
vast majority of young people are on the right track.

'However I recognise we can never be complacent and cocaine use has
remained broadly stable amongst young people.

'We must constantly strive to allow young people to achieve their
full potential and our drug strategy has a renewed emphasis on early
intervention, education and prevention, focusing in particular on the
most vulnerable families.'

The Information Centre surveyed 7,831 pupils from 273 schools in
England in the autumn term of 2007.