MORE YOUNG MEN SMOKING CANNABIS

A third of young men say they have used cannabis, reveals a report
from the Office of National Statistics.

Its annual Social Trends report suggests the percentage of men between
the ages of 16 and 24 using the drug has risen by 3% since 1996.

In contrast, just 21% of young women use cannabis. This is down
slightly on 1996 when 22% used it.

The figures come on the day the government downgraded cannabis from a
class B to a class C drug.

Cannabis is still illegal. However, the penalties for possessing it
have changed.

Illicit Drugs

The ONS report shows that the number of young people using illicit
drugs remained relatively steady between 1996 and 2000.

Eight years ago, 34% of young men and 25% of young women were using
illicit drugs. By 2000, the figures were 35% and 24%
respectively.

However, behind those figures there have been big changes in the type
of drugs being taken.

For instance, the number of young people taking amphetamines has
dropped by more than 50%.

While 15% of young men said they took the drug in 1996, just 7% were
using it four years later. For women, the figure was 3% - down from
9%.

There was a similar drop in the number of young people taking magic
mushrooms or LSD.

However, there has been a sharp increase in the numbers taking
cocaine.

In 1996, just 2% of young men took the class A drug. By 2000, that
figure had increased to 7%. For women, the figure is 2%.

The proportion of young people using ecstasy has remained the same at
9% for men and 4% for women.

Overall, one in eight young men and one in 20 young women are using
class A drugs. This is down marginally on 1996. Class A drugs include
cocaine, ecstasy and heroin. The report also confirms that the number
of people dying from alcohol-related diseases like cirrhosis of the
liver has soared over the past two decades.

In 1980, there were 2,575 alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales.
By 2000, the figure was 5,543 - up 115%.

"People have been given little or no information on sensible drinking
limits over the past 20 years so it is not really surprising that
there have been so many deaths from alcohol-related diseases," a
spokesman from Alcohol Concern said.

"The government is publishing a national alcohol strategy shortly. We
hope it will address this issue and also provide more resources for
early intervention so we can help people before they develop serious
diseases."

[sidebar]

WHAT DRUGS ARE MEN TAKING?

Cannabis 33%

Ecstasy 9%

Cocaine 7%

Amphetamines 7%

Magic mushrooms and LSD 3%

Source: ONS

(Young men 16 to 24)

[sidebar]

WHAT DRUGS ARE WOMEN TAKING?

Cannabis 21%

Ecstasy 4%

Amphetamines 3%

Cocaine 2%

Magic mushrooms and LSD 1%

Source - ONS

(Young women 16 to 24)