The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD)
The following findings for pupils in the Republic of Ireland are taken from 2003 survey figures:1
- 39% have ever used marijuana or hashish compared to the European average of 21%;
- 9% have ever used other illicit drugs (other than cannabis) compared to the average of 6%;
- 18% having ever used inhalants compared to the average of 10%;
- 2% report use of tranquillisers or sedatives without a doctor's prescription compared to the average of 6%.
Prevalence of illict drug use among students from the Republic of Ireland (ESPAD) 1995, 1999 and 2003
| Drug |
Boys |
Girls |
All students |
|||||||
| Year | 1995 | 1999 | 2003 | 1995 | 1999 | 2003 | 1995 | 1999 | 2003 | |
| Amphetamines | Lifetime | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | - | 3 | 4 |
| Cannabis | Lifetime | 42 | 35 | 23 | 31 | 29 | 18 | - | 32 | 21 |
| Last 30 days | 25 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 7 | - | 15 | 10 | |
| Ecstasy | Lifetime | 11 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | - | 5 | 3 |
| Inhalants | Lifetime | - | 22 | 14 | - | 21 | 14 | - | 22 | 14 |
| LSD | Lifetime | 16 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 2 | - | 5 | 2 |
| Tranquillisers or sedatives* | Lifetime | 6 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 2 | - | 5 | 2 |
* without a doctor's prescription
Reference
- ESPAD. Summary of the 2003 findings. http://www.espad.org/diagrambilder/summary.pdf accessed 29 March 2006.