NCJ Number
210605
Journal
Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2005 Pages: 305-315
Date Published
August 2005
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Findings from a 5-year study of 15-16 year-old students (11th grade) in seven schools in Northwest England pertain to their use of specific drugs and their feelings about close-friends' use and perceptions of the health-related risks of the drugs.
Abstract
Questionnaires were completed each year from 1997 to 2001, with the samples being as follows: 1997, n=699; 1998, n=761; 1999, n=777; 2000, n=649; and 2001, n=712. In the fifth year, 96.5 percent of the sample reported lifetime prevalence of alcohol use. In this year, 84 percent used alcohol at least once a month, with 56 percent using at least once a week; and 8 percent reported using alcohol most days or every day. Tobacco was the second most commonly used drug, with 67 percent of the sample indicating lifetime prevalence of tobacco use; 37 percent used tobacco at least once a month, 30 percent at least once a week, and 25 percent most days or every day. Cannabis was the only illegal drug used regularly by the sample. It was also the drug with the most significant changes in use-patterns over the 5 years. In the study's fifth year, 54 percent of the sample reported lifetime prevalence of cannabis use, an overall 8-percent increase over the 5 years. On the other hand, the reported use of alcohol and tobacco changed little over the 5 years. Although lifetime prevalence was observable for all substances mentioned--including ecstasy, amphetamine, heroin, and cocaine--only alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis were used regularly in significant numbers. The drugs used most by the respondents scored lowest on perceived health risk; however, there has been an increase in perceived health risks for tobacco, but this has apparently not influenced the level of usage. 3 tables and 23 references