TEENAGE DRUG USE 'STARTS TO DECLINE'

After steadily increasing for more than a decade, drug-taking by younger
teenagers has started to decline, according to a study into the habits of
14- to 15-year-olds published today by the schools health education unit at
Exeter university.

Although young people are more likely than ever before to be offered
illegal drugs, they are less likely to start experimenting with them, the
unit found.

Its director, John Balding, has tracked the behaviour and attitudes of this
age group since 1987 when less than 5% admitted to having tried an illegal
drug at least once.

By 1996 the proportion had risen to 33%, fuelling anxieties among parents
and politicians that there was an unstoppable drugs epidemic.

But over the following two years the numbers steadied and last year the
proportion fell to 21% for both boys and girls. Although the unit is
cautious of interpreting a trend from a single year's figures, it
concluded: "We are confident there has indeed been a levelling off and
possibly even a downturn in this age group's experience of drugs."

There was a similar reduction in the proportion of drug-taking by 12- to
13-year-olds, with 5% of boys and 4% of girls saying they had taken an
illegal drug at least once.

Mr Balding said the figures were "tremendous good news", suggesting that
publicity around cases such as Leah Betts who died after taking ecstasy and
the appointment of a drugs tsar might be reasons for the change.

The unit's findings are based on questionnaires completed each year by
about 40,000 pupils aged 9 to 15.

In 1999 more than 40% of 14- to 15-year-olds said they had been offered
drugs, usually cannabis. Although this was higher than before, the
researchers think this may be the result of changes in the questions asked.

About 8% said that at some point in their lives they used cannabis
regularly and just over 1% said the same about amphetamines and solvents.

When young people were asked if they knew where to obtain different illegal
drugs, 18% of 12- to 13-year-olds and 39% of 14- to 15-year-olds said they
knew where to get at least one.

The figures suggest that more young people are refusing drugs in spite of
their availability. Only 3% of non-users aged 14- to 15 said they would
start using cannabis if it were made legal.

Mr Balding said: "It is trendy not to take drugs. Fashions change quite
quickly. You get one reported accident ... and this has an effect."

The downward trend coincided with investment in a network of drug action
teams. "If there is a connection, then well done."

The report showed 35% of 14- to 15-year-olds thought cannabis was always
unsafe. This compares with 70% for cocaine, 78% for ecstasy and 68% for
solvents.