Heroin use in children

• Five newspaper articles (1-5) reported on the 31st January, 5th and 6th February on heroin use in children. Two articles focused on drug use in pre-teens in Scotland, in particular in Glasgow (1, 2).
• The articles were mainly based on the results of two surveys; a survey of over 2,000 10 to 12 year olds in Glasgow and Newcastle by McKeganey and colleagues (6) and a Government survey of over 9,700 secondary school children in England aged 11 to 15 (7). Based on the data collected, McKeganey and colleagues estimated that approximately 60 children in Glasgow and 34 children in Newcastle in the 10-12 age range had used heroin at least once in the past. The survey across England found that each year from 2001 to 2004, 1% of children aged 11 to 15 reported using heroin. However, as reported in the Telegraph article, the figures for 2004 were rounded up from 0.7% and given the margin of error could be 0.5% or 0.9%; approximating to between 19,500 and 35,100 children in England who have used heroin. In addition the Telegraph reported on data collected from 13 and 15 year olds in Scotland (8).
• The majority of the reporting was accurate. However, reports that ‘hundreds’ of pre-teen children in Scotland are using heroin appear to have been inferred from the data collected in Glasgow. This data may not be generalisible to the whole of Scotland given the potential for variations in drug use across regions.
• Caution should be used when assessing the number of young people using heroin as survey results may be subject to various sources of error and because of the small numbers involved. For example, there is the potential for both under- and over-reporting of drug use by young people. In addition, sampling errors occur as the estimates are based on a sample of the population and may differ from true population values.

Title, Authors and Source?

McKeganey N, McIntosh J, MacDonald F, Gannon M, Gilvarry E, McArdle P & McCarthy S (2004) Preteen children and illegal drugs. Drugs: education, prevention and policy 11:315-327.

What were the study objectives?

The objective of the research was to examine the extent to which ten to twelve year olds in Glasgow and Newcastle had used illegal drugs and the factors associated with their use.

What was the nature of the evidence?

In Glasgow, 1202 pupils were surveyed and in Newcastle, 1116 pupils were surveyed. The preteens included in the survey represented one in ten children in Glasgow and one in eight pupils in Newcastle, within the ten to twelve age range in state schools in these cities, respectively. A questionnaire, which sought information on basic demographics, area of residence, family structure and family relationships, attitudes towards school, involvement in activities outside of school, contacts with peers, and legal and illegal drug use was administered under exam conditions.

What were the findings?

In total, 28.7% of children had been in situations where other people had been using illegal drugs and 9.2% had been offered illegal drugs. Overall, 3.9% of children reported having used drugs in the past and 1.5% reported use within the previous month. The majority of drug use related to cannabis. Nine pupils reported past use of heroin. Based on this data it was estimated that within the 10-12 age range, approximately 60 children in Glasgow and 34 children in Newcastle had used heroin in the past.

The authors identified that pre-teen drug use was significantly associated with frequent smoking and alcohol consumption, involvement in a range of problem behaviours (e.g. carrying a weapon, vandalism, stealing, truancy), and with family difficulties including the presence of someone else within the family using illegal drugs.

What were the conclusions?

The authors concluded that pre-teen drug use would often appear to be part of a wider range of difficulties, and for these reasons, pre-teen drug-using children should be regarded as in need of considerable support. Drugs services in the UK should be prepared to face the challenges of identifying and meeting the needs of preteen drug users.

Other sources included in the newspaper articles

• Fuller E, Bates B, Blekinsop S, Boreham R, Hills A, McGee A, Sinclair R, Speight S (2005) Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England. Leeds: NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Information was obtained from 9,715 pupils, aged 11 to 15 years, in 313 schools in England. The survey was conducted by asking randomly, pre-selected groups of pupils to complete a confidential questionnaire. With regards to heroin use, the survey found that each year from 2001 to 2004, 1% of children reported using heroin. However, as reported in the Telegraph article, the figures for 2004 were rounded up from 0.7% and given the margin of error, could be 0.5% or 0.9%, giving an estimate of between 19,500 and 35,100 children who have used heroin.

• Corbett J, Akhtar P, Currie D, Currie C (2005) Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) National Report. Smoking, drinking and drug use among 13 and 15 year olds in Scotland in 2004. Norwich: The Stationery Office.