Drug Misuse Declared

Findings from the 2009/10 British Crime Survey

Where do these figures come from? The data in this presentation is taken from the

Home Office report, Drug Misuse Declared Findings from the 2009/10 British Crime Survey

Copies of the report can be downloaded from the Home Office website:

http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/drug-use-prevalence.html

Proportion of 16 -24 year olds saying they have ever used drugs

8% fewer young adults

say they have ever

taken a drug

than in 1996

Young adult’s drug use - ever

2.7 million young adults are estimated to have used an illicit drug at some time in their lives.

Proportion of 16 -24 year olds saying they have used drugs in the last year

Young adult’s drug use – last year

1.3 million young adults are estimated to have taken an illicit drug in the last year.

Proportion of 16 – 24 year olds saying they have used drugs in the last month

7% fewer young adults

say they

took a drug in the last month than in 1996

Young adult’s drug use – last month

772,000 young adults took an illicit drug in the last month

The most common age that drug users say that they first took... Cannabis

16 – 19 yr olds said they had been 15 years old 20 – 24 yr olds said they had been 15 years old

Ecstasy 16 – 19 yr olds said they were 16 years old 20 – 24 yr olds said they had been 18 years old

Cocaine 16 – 19 yr olds said they were 17 years old 20 – 24 yr olds said they had been 18 years old

Estimated numbers of 16 – 24 year olds who have used an illicit drug, by type

Proportion of frequent drug users aged 16 to 24 years

481,000 young adults are estimated to be frequent drug users

16 to 24 year olds reporting use of cannabis or ‘skunk’

Use of cannabis in the last year

Use of any Class A drug in the last year

'Any Class A drug' comprises powder cocaine, crack cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, magic mushrooms, heroin and methadone plus methamphetamine since 2008/09

Use of powder cocaine in the last year

Use of ecstasy in the last year

Use of hallucinogens in the last year

Use of amphetamines in the last year