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The Knowledge and use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs: Primary school survey 2006¹ presents the main findings of a survey carried out to provide an up-to-date picture of the knowledge and use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs by primary school children in Northern Ireland in 2006.

The findings are based on 3,734 responses from primary school children in P5, P6 and P7.
The report examines:

• awareness and availability of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs;
• use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs;
• knowledge and awareness of the effects of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs;
• attitudes to consumers alcohol, cigarettes and drugs

Some key findings in relation to drugs are as follows:

• 81% of pupils had heard of drugs before the survey; most from the news (63%);
• Cannabis (77%) and cocaine (71%) were the most commonly recognised drugs;
• 5% of pupils who had heard of drugs had been offered them; 26% by an adult that they didn’t know, 18% by a boy or girl older than them that they didn’t really know;
• 1.6% of all P5 to P7 primary school children surveyed reported that they had tried drugs;
• 19% of pupils who had tried drugs were 9 years old the first time; 21% obtained the drugs themselves; 31% used them by themselves;
• Cannabis (31%) and solvents (27%) were the drugs most commonly tried by pupils;
• 0.3% (n=11) of all P5 to P7 primary school children surveyed reported that they were currently using drugs;
• On the last occasion used, the most commonly used drugs were cannabis (23%) and solvents (17%);
• 34% of pupils who had tried drugs had been in trouble as a result of taking drugs, most commonly with their parents (36%);
• Of the pupils who knew what cannabis, solvents, Ecstasy, cocaine and heroin were, the proportions regarding them as dangerous was as follows: cocaine 90%, cannabis 89%, heroin 85%, solvents 76%, Ecstasy 75%;
• 57% of all pupils who had heard of drugs agreed that lots of people take drugs.

To download the pdf publication "Knowledge and use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. Primary school survey 2006" click here.

Reference

1. Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS). Knowledge and use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. Primary school survey 2006. Belfast: Central Survey Unit (CSU), 2007.