§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the result of efforts to reduce the proportion of people aged under 25 misusing illegal drugs in(a) the last month and (b) the last three years. [7344]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthThe British Crime Survey provides data on the levels of self-reported drug use among a representative sample of the general population in England and Wales. The survey of smoking, drinking and drug use among school children provides equivalent data for those aged 11 to 15 years.
Table 1 provides the relevant data for 1998 and 2000 for those aged 16 to 24 years.
Table 2 provides the equivalent data for 11 to 15-year-olds.
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Table 1: Percentages of respondents aged 16 to 24 years reporting use of illegal drugs in the last year and last month, in England and Wales 1998 2000 >Last year 29 29 Last month 19 18 Bases: 1998 = 1,296; 2000 = 1,517
Source:
Drug Misuse Declare in 2000: results from the British Crime Survey, Home Office Research Study 224
Table 2: Percentages of school children aged 11 to 15 years reporting use of illegal drugs in the last year and last month, in England Last year Last month 1998 11 7 1999 12 7 2000 14 9 Bases: 1998 = 4,647; 1999 9,053; 2000 = 6,855
Source:
Department of Health Statistical Press Notice, July 2001. Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2000