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Drug Use & young people Drug use among young people in England in 2005 Three newspaper articles were looked at from three national newspapers, two broad sheets and one tabloid. Two of the three articles were published on 25th March and one on 27th March. Two of the articles focused on cocaine use amongst young people, whereas one looked at drug use in general by young people. The reporting was based around the results of an annual survey for the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) undertaken by the National Centre for Social Research and the National Foundation for Educational Research. The survey considered issues of drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England. The survey was questionnaire based, and studied over 9,000 11-15 year olds in 305 schools in England. Based upon the results of the survey, it was estimated that 11% of pupils aged 11-15 had taken drugs in the last month compared to 10% in 2004 (12% in 2003). The report also highlights that the proportion of regular smokers has remained stable at 9% and the number of pupils who report having drunk alcohol in the last week has fallen slightly from 23% in 2004 to 22% in 2005 (25% in 2003). The HSCIC further reported an upturn in cocaine use amongst 11-15 year olds from 1% in 2004 to 2% in 2005.
No major errors were found in the reporting of the surveys results, however there were internal inconsistencies within one of the articles and also between the articles. One article quoted the percentage figures documented within the report to estimate the total number of 11-15 year olds who took cocaine in that year and the total number of 11-15 year olds who have been offered the drug. Using a figure of 3.2 million as an estimate of the number of 11-15 year old pupils, the article estimated the number of pupils to have taken cocaine in the last year as 65,000, (2% of 3.2m is 64,000) using the same method the article estimated the number of 11-15 year olds who had ever been offered the drug (9%) as 320,000 thus rounding up a figure which may have already been rounded to the nearest percentage. Another one of the articles used data which is rounded to one decimal place, illustrating a rise in cocaine use from 1.4% in 2004 to 1.9% in 2005 a rise of 25%. If accurate, the more precise figures quoted may discredit claims made of a doubling in the number of 11-15 year olds taking cocaine. It is important that research data of this nature is interpreted with a degree of caution especially when looking at such small percentages as is the case with the data on cocaine use. The HSCIC survey reports results to the nearest percentage, as documented above this may result in an substantial under or over-reporting of drug use by young people. Further to this, sampling errors may occur, as the sample surveyed may not share the same patterns of drug use as the true population of 11-15 year olds. Title, Authors and Source? National Centre for Social & Research and the National Foundation for Educational Research (2006) Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England in 2005: headline figures. Available from http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/drugsmokedrinkyoungeng2005/finalreport.pdf/file What were the study objectives? The objective of the research was to estimate the levels of drug use, smoking and drinking amongst young people in England. To gather data, which may be used in conjunction with results from previous years to determine patterns and trends in young peoples drug use. What was the nature of the evidence? The evidence is developed from a school-based survey of over 9,000 11-15 year olds, spread over 305 schools in England. The pupils were asked to complete a questionnaire in the 2005 autumn term relating to their use of various substances. What were the findings? The report documents that prevalence of drug use amongst 11-15 year olds did not significantly change in 2005. In 2005 11% of pupils reported taking drugs in the last month compared with 10% in 2004. No significant changes in the proportions of boys and girls taking drugs were found. Consistent with previous years the prevalence of drug taking increased with age. In line with previous years cannabis was reported as the most common drug used by 11-15 year olds, Younger children were more likely to have misused volatile substances than used cannabis. The study also looked at pupils who had been offered drugs. In 2005 39% reported being offered drugs compared to 36% in 2004. Boys were more likely to be offered drugs than girls (41% and 38% respectively) and the most common drug offered was cannabis. What were the conclusions? The report was purely descriptive. Other sources included in the newspaper articles ˇ European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (2004) The State Of The Drugs Problem In The European Union And Norway. Available from: http://ar2004.emcdda.eu.int/download/ar2004-en.pdf.
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