Pubdate: Thu, 12 Oct 2000
Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland)
Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2000
Contact:  http://www.examiner.ie/
Author: Linda McGrory

IRISH SCHOOLCHILDREN AMONG TOP CANNABIS USERS IN EUROPE

CANNABIS use among schoolchildren in Ireland is among the highest in 
Europe, a drugs report reveals.

A comprehensive survey from the EU drugs agency in Lisbon says cannabis is 
the most widely used illegal substance among Irish schoolchildren, with 
substantially increased use in the last decade.

More than one in three 15 to 16 year olds have tried illegal drugs in their 
lifetime.

The report also reveals while cannabis is the most widely used drug, many 
children have also tried heroin, amphetamines, hallucinogenics and cocaine.

Of the 37% of 15 to 16 year olds who have tried illegal drugs, all have 
experimented with cannabis. But more than one in 10 have tried LSD while 
almost the same number have experimented with ecstasy.

About 2% of those interviewed said they had tried heroin and the same 
number said they had sampled cocaine.

More Irish children than Dutch (31%), where the so called softer drug is 
legalised, have tried cannabis.

The National Youth Council of Ireland said the report bore out their own 
experience of the rising youth drugs problem

"Drugs have now hit everywhere in Ireland. It's not just the big urban 
centres anymore, but small towns and villages too," said NYC spokesman, 
Eamonn Waters.

Only Britain and Denmark returned higher figures than Ireland for illegal 
drug use among young teenagers of the school going population. Portugal had 
the lowest rate of drug use with 4.7% and 3.8% trying illegal drugs and 
cannabis respectively in their lifetime.

The report shows Ireland has the fifth highest number of problem users - 
mainly heroin addicts - with around four per 1,000 population aged from 15 
to 64.

Luxembourg has the worst problem, with around seven per 1,000 followed by 
Italy, with about six and Britain and Spain at around five per 1,000.

An estimated one in 20 Irish adults experimented with cannabis in the last 
12 months, consistent with the EU average, says the report. The latest 
figures show at least 45 million European citizens - 18% of the age group 
15 to 64 - have tried cannabis at least once.
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