Pubdate: Tue, 01 Feb 2000 Source: The Examiner (Ireland) Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2000 Pubdate: 1 February 2000 Contact: http://www.examiner.ie/ Author: Niall Murray FIFTH OF TEENAGERS DRUNK REGULARLY One in six teenagers is smoking daily and up to one in five is drunk regularly, a new study shows. Research by Trinity College in Dublin looked at the social habits of the pupils in 16 different schools and found up to a third of the 14 and 15 year olds had used at least one illegal drug. Almost one in five of the teenagers interviewed said they had used illegal drugs in the previous month. Cannabis is the most commonly used substance -- followed by inhalants -- and most children begin experimenting just after their 12th birthday. Some children are starting to smoke at 11 and over half surveyed in the report said they drink alcohol every now and again. The report shows a significant relationship between substance abuse and delinquent behaviour, with the amount of anti social behaviour increasing with the use of alcohol and cannabis. The study also found significant differences in rates of substance use between schools based on socio economic groupings and mixed and single gender schools. The survey, which is published in this month's Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland magazine (ASTI), shows 16% of pupils smoke daily, 14% smoke occasionally and the majority took up the habit because they wanted to experiment. A quarter of the students surveyed said they never drink while almost 60% said they drink occasionally. A quarter said they use alcohol less than once a month while a fifth said they drink each week. - --- MAP posted-by: Allan Wilkinson