20% OF SCHOOL KIDS TRY DRUGS

ONE in five 11 to 15-year-olds has used drugs in the past year - a rise of
six per cent.

And a third of 15-year-olds said they had smoked cannabis in the past 12
months, a survey yesterday revealed.

Nearly half of those questioned said they had also been offered cocaine,
crack or poppers.

Roger Howard, of the charity Drugscope, said: "The threat of criminal
sanctions and jail are not stopping large numbers of young people
experimenting with drugs.

"The only way to address the problem is to invest more in long-term
education and prevention work."

And it was found that boys use drugs more than girls.

Thirteen per cent of lads said they had taken drugs in the past month
compared to 11 per cent of girls.

But four per cent of the schoolchildren said they had taken Class A hard
drugs such as heroin or cocaine.

The Department of Health study of 9,300 pupils in 285 secondary schools
also found the number of pupils drinking under age has also gone up.

One in two 15-year-olds said they had drunk alcohol in the past week, with
boys downing 10.6 units of beer or lager compared to girls' 8.9 units.

Researchers also found that 10 per cent of pupils were regular smokers.

Girls were more likely than boys to use cigarettes - 11 per cent compared
with eight per cent. And the number of 11-year-old smokers has gone up.

The study also discovered that more pupils than ever before were sniffing
glue, gas, aerosols or other solvents.

Mr Howard added: "We are also concerned that the increasing use of solvents
maybe a result of the lack of information being given to young people on
their dangers."

A DoH spokesman said: "There has been a slight increase in recorded drug use.

"But this could be due to the change in methodology, and not an actual
change in use."