Rise in teenagers using Class A

There has been a "significant increase" in the number of teenagers taking cocaine and ecstasy, a major new study shows today.

Cocaine use in older teenagers has risen since 1994 from one per cent to five per cent, and the number using ecstasy has risen from four per cent to seven per cent.

The findings come as new Department of Health research also reveals that a quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds admit to drinking alcohol every week.

Today's study, based on interviews with 10,000 pupils across England and Wales, shows that the amount drunk by youngsters aged 11 to 15 has doubled in a decade to more than five pints of lager a week.

But overall, figures show slightly fewer teenagers are drinking, smoking and taking drugs than previous studies revealed.

More than a third of all 15-yearolds have used drugs in the past year, with cannabis as the most popular choice.

Among 11 to 15-year-olds, the number taking drugs has fallen from 20 per cent in 2001 to 18 per cent last year, and the number admitting drinking alcohol in the past week has fallen from 26 per cent in 2001 to 24 per cent last year.

But while smoking levels in young teenagers fell during the mid-Nineties, there has been no change since 2000, with one in 10 smoking cigarettes. As in previous years, girls are more likely to smoke than boys.

Pupils who skip school are more likely to smoke, drink and take drugs, the study shows. Truants are 30 per cent more likely to be smokers, 35 per cent more likely to have drunk alcohol, and 29 per cent more likely to have taken drugs than their peers who regularly go to school.

The Government conceded that lessons on the dangers of smoking, drinking and taking drugs may not be as useful as first presumed. Youngsters who are most at risk of substance abuse are more likely to be playing truant and so are not at school at hear the lessons.

Amanda Sandford, of Action on Smoking and Health, said: "These figures show we are moving in the right direction, albeit rather slowly.

"We know it's difficult to tackle youth smoking but the evidence is that the best way to do it is to have comprehensive policies which affect the whole population, such as banning tobacco advertising, banning smoking in public places and helping smokers who want to quit.

"There's a good case for young people to be given support if they need it when giving up smoking."

Today's study shows older teenagers and those in their early twenties are more likely to use drugs than younger people, with cannabis still the favourite.

Vivienne Evans, chief executive of Adfam which helps families cope with the effects of drug use, said: "It's comforting to know drug use overall has dropped among young people and says a lot about our drug education policies over the years.

"But the rise in ecstasy and cocaine use is worrying because government policy is now targeted at a reduction in Class-A drug use."

The Government claimed the research showed it was set to hit its target of reducing the number of young teens smoking to nine per cent by 2010.

The Health Department said £5million extra funding was available for school drug, alcohol and tobacco advisers.