DRUG-USE AND SOURCES OF DRUG INFORMATION IN A 12-16-YEAR-OLD SCHOOL SAMPLE

A sample of 532 12-16-year-old school attendees self-completed a quest ionnaire about drug use, sources of drug information and attitudes to drugs. Some drugs were highly prevalent, particularly cannabis, halluc inogens (including ecstasy) and amphetamines, but injectable drugs wer e used by,few and injected by only seven respondents. Cocaine use cont inues to be rare in Scotland. Use increased with age and males tended to use more than females. Low parental control was strongly related to exposure to drugs. Most respondents had received at least one talk ab out drugs, about half felt that they knew a lot about them and over it third felt that they had learned a lot from TV parents, police, older friends, same age friends, teachers and newspapers. Those who had bee n more exposed to drugs tended to rely less on teachers and the police for information and more on older friends and siblings. Parents, sibl ings, medical and media sources were unrelated to drug exposure. Self- rated drug knowledge and attitudes were more related to exposure to dr ugs than to sources of drug information, suggesting that attitudes are largely acquired experientially, Results are discussed with respect t o the content and delivery of drugs education.