Fifth of children taking drugs

The scale of the task facing the Government's "war on drugs" was revealed today as it emerged that a fifth of 11 to 15-year-olds have used narcotics in the past year.

Home Office research shows that 12 per cent of those surveyed in that age group had taken drugs in the past month.

Cannabis was the most frequently reported illicit drug used in the last year - used by 13 per cent - but one per cent admitted to having used heroin and one per cent cocaine. In total, four per cent had used Class A drugs in the last year.

Among 16 to 24-year-olds in England and Wales, 29 per cent had used drugs in the last year and 18 per cent in the last month. Twenty-six per cent had used cannabis in the last year, six per cent amphetamines, five per cent ecstasy or cocaine, one per cent heroin and one per cent crack.

Analysts say the proportion who had used drugs in the last year has remained roughly constant, except for cocaine use, which increased from one per cent to five per cent between 1994 and 2000.

While critics will say the static figures indicate the Government's drugs policy failure, Hywel Sims of the pressure group Addfam said the figures should be taken in perspective.

"Experimentation does not necessarily lead to long-term problems. What is essential is good education."