Jd. Wright et L. Pearl, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF YOUNG-PEOPLE REGARDING DRUG MISUSE, 1969-94, BMJ. British medical journal, 310(6971), 1995, pp. 20-24
Objective-To monitor young people's knowledge and experience of illici
t drugs between 1969 and 1994 at intervals of five years. Design-The s
ame anonymously completed questionnaire was used throughout. Setting-T
hree Wolverhampton secondary schools representing three different soci
oeconomic groups. Subjects-392 pupils aged 14 to 15 completed the ques
tionnaire in 1994. Previous sample sizes were 471 in 1969, 523 in 1974
, 648 in 1979, 540 in 1984, and 380 in 1989. Main outcome measures-Sel
f reported levels of knowledge and experience of illicit drugs. Result
s-Over 25 years the proportion of pupils who knew someone taking drugs
more than quadrupled from 15% (71/471) to 65% (254/392), and the prop
ortion who had been offered drugs increased ninefold from 5% (24) to 4
5% (175). Both of these proportions more than doubled over the past fi
ve years. In 1994 the proportions of pupils mentioning ''ecstasy'' (me
thylenedioxymethamphetamine), amphetamines, and crack cocaine increase
d significantly (P<0.01) and the proportion mentioning opiates decreas
ed significantly (P<0.01). ''Poppers'' (amyl nitrite) were mentioned f
or the first time. ''To feel big, to show off, look grown up'' has con
tinued to be the main perceived reason for taking drugs. Television ha
s continued to be the main source of information. Conclusions-In the p
ast five years in particular young people's exposure to illicit drugs
has increased dramatically. Despite more education about drugs, pupils
' knowledge remains limited. Social pressures remain the first perceiv
ed reason for taking drugs. The media have a responsibility not to gla
morise drugs.