CLUBBERS' DRUG CONFESSIONS

Drugs in Britain: special report

A survey by a dance and club culture magazine has given an insight into the
degree of drug-taking and dealing among young people.

Seven out of 10 who responded to a questionnaire in Mixmag magazine said
they had sold ecstasy, risking a jail sentence of up to four years, and six
out of 10 admitted having driven a car after taking it.

Eight out of 10 respondents said they regularly took combinations of drugs -
ecstasy, amphetamine, cocaine, LSD, amyl nitrate and cannabis; such
cocktails carry both mental and physical risks.

Adam Winstock, of the national addiction centre at King's College, London,
who compiled and analysed the survey, said he had been surprised by how many
young people were using ecstasy regularly over a long period.

"Ecstasy is not a fad drug. People have been taking it for five, six or
seven years - something you might consider chronic use."

The survey found that ecstasy was the most common drug among clubbers -
taken by 86% of the 1,100 who took part, compared with 73% for cannabis, 46%
for cocaine, and 39% for amphetamine.

On average males had taken ecstasy 180 times and females 120, with more than
half taking at least five pills a night.

Four out of 10 young women said they had used amphetamines to control their
weight.

The survey found women started ecstasy at age 19 on average, compared with
20 for men. A tablet cost between UKP2 and UKP25, with an average of
UKP6.89. One clubber from the south coast said he had taken an ecstasy
tablet every day for four years, and had used up to 30 in one weekend. Dr
Winstock said 5% of the clubbers who responded were "heavy chronic binge
users" taking 15 ecstasy pills in one night.

Nearly 80% of clubbers combined ecstasy with amphetamines, 55% with cocaine,
49% with amyl nitrate, 29% with LSD; others had used ketamine, Prozac, crack
cocaine, and Viagra to create a new high while on ecstasy.

More than 17% said they had used benzodiazepines such as Valium to come down
from an ecstasy high. "Valium on the black market is a drug you normally
associate with opiate use, so the fact that it has moved into the club scene
is worrying," said Dr Winstock.

Mixmag's editor Tom Whitwell said: "The really extreme use was quite
shocking. And a lot of people are still taking a surprising number of risks,
such as driving on drugs and mixing them.

"But the survey also showed that people are taking on board the safety
messages, like drinking lots of water and taking vitamin C."