WA CHILDREN NATION'S BIGGEST DRUG USERS

WA CHILDREN are the biggest users of illicit drugs in the nation, with
nearly 40 per cent having tried cannabis, according to a new report.

Tranquillisers are the second most used drug and amphetamines are
being tried at more than double the national average.

The trends are revealed in a report to be released next week by the
Drug and Alcohol Office.

The Indicators of Drug Use Report is the first comprehensive
assessment of all available information on drug use in WA.

The only drugs WA children used less than the national average were
inhalants such as solvents, petrol and glue.

Health Minister Bob Kucera said the Government was appalled by the
statistics.

"The vast majority of the community - particularly school-aged
children - do not use illicit drugs," he said. "However, we are
committed to helping those children who are."

National Drug Research Institute senior research fellow Richard
Midford said children's use of amphetamines was most worrying.

"It is not a very nice drug. The supply is associated with a criminal
element and it can be injected," he said.

He said cannabis use among children had gone up but recently had
levelled.

"I think that no drug is harm-free but of the illicit drugs, cannabis
is one of the least harmful," Dr Midford said.

The comparative data on young people's drug use is drawn from a 1999
survey of 3500 WA school students and a national alcohol and drug
national survey conducted that year.

Figures from a 2002 survey of school students are still being compiled
and are due out later this year.

Mr Kucera said: "Young people's drug use tends to reflect that of the
broader community and I'm encouraged by the fact that very early
indications from the 2002 data suggests that the use of some drugs by
young people is on the way down."

Drug and Alcohol Office practice development director Professor Steve
Allsop said while the report's figures should be treated with caution,
any drug use by children was cause for concern.

"We can't tell how many of these people have tried (drugs) and given
it away and how many of these people are regular users, but the
indications are there are potentially higher levels of use in WA
compared to most of the other Australian States," he said.

He said it was hard to find a single reason for the greater use of
drugs.

Professor Allsop said prescription and over-the-counter drugs were
also a concern. In recent years there had been increased use of cough
medicine, painkillers and paracetamol.

The statistics about high tranquilliser use among children was
concerning but it was not possible to determine if they had been
prescribed, given by a friend or bought illegally.

"It is also apparent there are some young people who are getting
tranquillisers (anti-anxiety) tablets on the black market," he said.

Professor Allsop said a couple of drug education classes at school
would not inoculate children against drug use and parents and other
adults had to set an example.