Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – results from the 2002/03 Drug Prevalence Survey
Printer-friendly versionThis survey was commissioned by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs in Ireland (NACD) and the Drug and Alcohol Information and Research Unit (DAIRU) within the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland.
The survey, carried out by MORI MRC between October 2002 and April 2003, focused on obtaining prevalence rates for key illegal drugs on a lifetime, last year and last month basis. It sampled people between the ages of 15 and 64, resident in households in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Definitions
Prevalence is measured by asking respondents to recall their drug use over a period of time. This survey uses the following terms to describe reported prevalence:
- Lifetime prevalence – ever having used a drug.
- Last year prevalence – have used a particular drug within the year prior to the survey.
- Last month prevalence – have used a drug in the 30 day period prior to the survey (often referred to as current use).
Findings
Some key findings for Northern Ireland are as follows:
- Lifetime illegal drug prevalence for all adults (15-64 years) was 20.4%.
- The average rate for recent illegal drug use across Health and Social Service Board areas was 3.3%, and varied from 2.1% for the SHSSB to 3.8% for the EHSSB.
- Cannabis was the main illegal drug used on a lifetime, recent and current basis.
- Ecstasy was the next most common illegal drug used in the last year.
- Prevalence rates of illegal drug use were higher for young adults (15-34 years) and for males.
- Alcohol prevalence rates for all adults (15-64) in Northern Ireland varied between 67.7% and 88.4%, with higher rates reported for males and younger adults (15-34).
- Tobacco prevalence rates for all adults (15-64) in Northern Ireland varied between 37.3% and 59.2%, with males more likely to have ever smoked than females, and younger adults reporting higher use in the last year and currently. Current reported use is observed to be similar for males (37.5%) and females (37.1%).
Prevalence (%) of drug use in Northern Ireland1
|
Lifetime Prevalence |
|
Last Year Prevalence |
|
Last Month Prevalence |
|||||||||||||
| All adults 15-64 | Males | Females | Young Adults 15-34 years |
Older Adults 35-64 |
All adults 15-64 | Males | Females | Young Adults 15-34 years |
Older Adults 35-64 |
All adults 15-64 | Males | Females | Young Adults 15-34 years |
Older Adults 35-64 |
|||
| Total sample (unweighted) | 3517 | 1575 | 1942 | 1396 | 2121 | 3517 | 1575 | 1942 | 1396 | 2121 | 3517 | 1575 | 1942 | 1396 | 2121 | ||
| Any illegal drugsi | 20.4 | 27 | 13.9 | 21.1 | 12 | 6.2 | 9.5 | 3.1 | 11.3 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 5.7 | 1.1 | 6.1 | 1.2 | ||
| Alcohol | 88.4 | 90.4 | 86.4 | 89.5 | 87.6 | 79.4 | 82.2 | 76.7 | 83.6 | 76.1 | 67.7 | 72.5 | 63.1 | 70.4 | 65.6 | ||
| Amphetamines | 3.9 | 6.1 | 1.8 | 7 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | - | 0.4 | 0.1 | ||
| Anabolic steroids | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | ||
| Cannabis | 16.8 | 23.2 | 10.4 | 25 | 10.3 | 5.3 | 8.4 | 2.3 | 9.6 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 5.1 | 0.8 | 5.4 | 1 | ||
| Cocaine (total including crack) | 1.7 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1 | - | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | - | 0.2 | - | ||
| Cocaine powder | 1.6 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.9 | - | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | - | 0.2 | - | ||
| Crack | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | * | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Ecstasy | 5.9 | 8.3 | 3.6 | 11.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 0.1 | ||
| Heroin | 0.2 | 0.4 | - | 0.3 | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| LSD | 4.5 | 7 | 2 | 7.7 | 1.9 | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | 0.1 | - | * | - | * | * | - | ||
| Magic mushrooms | 4. | 6.2 | 2.4 | 6.4 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | * | 0.1 | - | - | 0.1 | ||
| Methadone | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | * | - | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | * | - | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | ||
| Nubain | 0.1 | 0.1 | - | 0.1 | 0.1 | * | 0.1 | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Other opiatesii | 17.9 | 16.2 | 19.5 | 17.8 | 18 | 7.9 | 6.9 | 8.9 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 5.1 | 3.2 | 4.8 | ||
| Poppersiii | 5.6 | 7.2 | 3.9 | 10.8 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.1 | - | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | - | ||
| Sedatives, tranquillisers, anti-depressants | 22.1 | 15.5 | 28.5 | 16.2 | 26.7 | 12.5 | 8.7 | 16.3 | 8.6 | 15.7 | 9.8 | 7 | 12.5 | 5.4 | 13.2 | ||
| Solvents | 2.9 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 5.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.3 | * | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | * | ||
| Tobacco | 59.2 | 62.1 | 56.4 | 57.4 | 60.7 | 40.6 | 41.5 | 39.8 | 43.5 | 38.3 | 37.3 | 37.5 | 37.1 | 39.5 | 35.5 | ||
i Illegal drugs refers to cannabis, ecstasy, amphetamines, crack, cocaine powder, heroin, LSD, solvents, poppers and magic mushrooms.
ii Other opiates, ie Temgesic®, codeine, Kapake®, morphine, opium, DFs, diffs, dikes and peach.
iii Poppers, ie amyl or butyl nitrite - no person surveyed reported the use of this drug.
* 0.05% of those surveyed reported the use of this drug
Note: Unweighted sample sizes for each group are given at the head of each column. All prevalence rates are based on weighted data. All figures are rounded to the nearest decimal place.
The survey methodology and results are summarised in the following bulletins, available to download as follows;
Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey: Sedatives, tranquillisers or anti-depressant results1
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/bulletin_6_stad.pdf
Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey: Polydrug use results2
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/polydrug.pdf
Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey: Cocaine results3
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/cocaine_bulletin_4.pdf
Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey: Cannabis results4
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/drug_use_bulletin3.pdf
Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – First Results from the 2002/03 Drug Prevalence Survey: Health Board (Ireland) and Health and Social Services Board (Northern Ireland) Results – Bulletin 25
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/drug_use_bulletin2.pdf
Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – First Results (revised) from the 2002/03 Drug Prevalence Survey – Bulletin 16
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/drug_use_bulletin1.pdf
Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – First results from the 2002/03 Drug Prevalence Survey – A summary of the methodology7
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/drug_use_methodology.pdf
References
- NACD and DAIRU. Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey: Sedatives, tranquillisers or anti-depressant results. Bulletin 6. NACD and DAIRU, March 2007.
- NACD and DAIRU. Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey: Polydrug use results. Bulletin 5. NACD and DAIRU, March 2007.
- NACD and DAIRU. Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey: Cocaine results. Bulletin 4. NACD and DAIRU, January 2006.
- NACD and DAIRU. Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey: Cannabis results. Bulletin 3. NACD and DAIRU, October 2005.
- NACD and DAIRU. Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey: Health Board (Ireland) and Health and Social Services Board (Northern Ireland) results – Bulletin 2. NACD and DAIRU, revised June 2005.
- NACD and DAIRU. Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – First Results from the 2002/2003 Drug Prevalence Survey – Bulletin 1. NACD and DAIRU, revised June 2005.
- NACD and DAIRU. Drug use in Ireland and Northern Ireland – A summary of the methodology. NACD and DAIRU, October 2003.