Association between illegal drugs and weapon carrying in young people in Scotland: schools' survey

Objectives To identify the type and extent of weapons being carried among y oung people in Scotland, and to determine the relation between use of illeg al drugs and weapon carrying. Design Questionnaire school survey. Setting Independent schools in central Scotland and schools in Lanarkshire and Perth and Kinross. Participants 3121 students aged 11 to 16 in 20 schools. Main outcome measures Self completion questionnaire reporting history of dr ug use and weapon carrying. Results Overall, 34.1% of males and 8.6% of females reported having carried a weapon (P < 0.0001), ranging From 29.2% of boys aged 11-13 (classes S1 t o S2) to 39.3% of boys aged 13-15 (S3 to S4). These values are higher than those in a recent survey of young people in England. Weapon carrying in Lan arkshire was 70% higher for males than in the rural area of Perth and Kinro ss. Both males and females who had taken drugs were more likely to carry we apons (63.5% of male drug users versus 20.5%, of non-users and 22.8% of fem ale drug users versus 3.7% of non-users; both P < 0.0001). The proportions of males carrying weapons who used none, one, two, three or four, or five o r more illegal drugs were 21%, 52%, 68% 74%, and 92% respectively. A simila r trend was found among females. Conclusions Better information is needed on the nature and extent of weapon carrying by young people in the United Kingdom, and better educational cam paigns are needed warning of the dangers of carrying weapons.