ONE IN THREE BOYS IN SCOTLAND ADMITS CARRYING A WEAPON

A THIRD of Scottish schoolboys and one in 12 girls have admitted carrying a
formidable armoury of weapons, directly linked to their use of drugs,
doctors have found.

Bladed weapons were the most commonly carried and included flick knives,
switch blades, Stanley knives, craft and hunting knives, machetes, swords
and razors. Bludgeons included baseball bats, clubs, metal pipes and
snooker cues. Other weapons carried were knuckle dusters, catapults,
screwdrivers and hammers.

Prof Neil McKeganey of the Centre for Drug Misuse at Glasgow University,
said: "We were completely surprised by the high level of weapons and the
range was quite shocking." The survey of 3,000 11 to 16 year olds found
boys who took illegal drugs were three times more likely to carry weapons
and girls who used drugs were five times more likely to arm themselves
compared to children who did not use drugs.

The survey, primarily intended to measure drug use, found 92 per cent of
boys who used five or more drugs carried weapons compared to half of boys
who used only one drug. The study, published today in the British Medical
Journal, says a UK study four years ago among 10,677 children found 18 per
cent of boys and three per cent of girls aged 11 to 12, and 29 per cent of
boys and nine per cent of girls aged 15 to 16 admitted carrying weapons.

The Scottish survey was conducted in schools in Lanarkshire and Perth and
Kinross. In Lanarkshire, nearly 39 per cent of children said they carried
weapons compared to 30 per cent in rural Perth and Kinross. Prof McKeganey
said the statistics should be a "wake up call" to the Government and other
agencies.

He said: "It was evident from our research that there is a close
association with weapon carrying and the taking of both illegal and
prescription drugs. It was soon made apparent to us that once drug use had
become more apparent, the person became more heavily armed. Drugs used
included cannabis, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and LSD. Very few used heroin
and cannabis was used mostly."

Prof KcKeganey said if the results had been exclusive to Glasgow "it would
not perhaps have surprised too many people". He said: "It must raise more
eyebrows because it was children throughout Scotland in all types of areas."

It was evident from recent tragedies that weapons were being carried in
public places such as discos, said Prof KcKeganey. Alistair Ramsay,
director of Scotland Against Drugs, said: "In America, there has been a
very strong link between drugs and weapons for some time. Sadly, the link
has become apparent in Scotland."