Attitudes towards drugs shift among young

DRUGS are becoming more socially acceptable and widely available among Scotland’s teenagers, a survey has revealed.

Experts expressed concern at the findings of the major study that uncovered significant changes in attitudes to illicit substances and a reversal in a long-standing trend of declining popularity.

The survey of more than 25,000 secondary school children found only 48 per cent of 15-year-olds now believe all people who sell drugs deserve to be punished, a drop of 11 per cent since the same question was asked 24 months previously, while half did not agree drug taking is “stupid”.

Almost a quarter of 15-yearolds thought it was “okay” for someone their age to take cannabis, a rise of seven per cent in two years, although sniffing glue and taking cocaine were deemed far less acceptable. Only 54 per cent of 15-year-olds agreed with the statement “taking cannabis is dangerous”, while 25 per cent described it as “false” and the rest did not know.

David Liddell, director of the Scottish Drugs Forum, said: “There seems to be a significant increase in drug use in 15-year-old boys ... the reasons for this would be difficult to discern. In drug terms, this is a reversal of recent trends and should be a matter of some concern.”

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said the findings were “encouraging”, with teenage drug, alcohol and tobacco use “among the lowest levels recorded by the survey”. IT is The Herald’s policy to correct errors as soon as we can and all corrections and clarifications will usually appear on this page.

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