Publication
Indicators for health education in Scotland; summary of findings from the 1996 Health Education Population Survey (HEPS)
Drug misuse
There has been increasing emphasis given to the development of healtheducation interventions as a means of preventing drug misuse among youngpeople. The report of the Ministerial Drugs Task Force Drugs in Scotland:Meeting the Challenge (SOHHD, 1994) reaffirmed the leading role ofprevention in tackling drug misuse. Due to concerns about a rise in drug misuseamong young people, established approaches to drug education (‘just sayno’) are being challenged in favour of appropriate multi-componentprogrammes.
Skills indicator: The proportion of people aged 16-74 who feel they lackknowledge about the risks of taking drugs. |
Respondents were asked to what extent they felt that they did not knowenough about the risks of taking drugs. Forty two percent of the total samplesaid they agreed with this statement, whereas a somewhat smaller proportion of16-24 year-olds (34%) expressed agreement.
Behaviour indicator: The proportion of people aged 16-74 who have
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Thirty four percent of respondents said they had taken illegal drugs at somepoint in their lives, with 16% claiming they had done so in the past 12 months.Among 16-24 year olds, the percentages were higher at 61% and 42% respectively.The drugs most often reported used in the last year are shown in Figure 16 forall respondents and those aged 16 to 24.
Figure 16: Drugs used in last year
| All respondents |
16 to 24 year olds |
|
| Cannabis |
10% |
33% |
| Amphetamines |
4% |
15% |
| Tranquillisers |
3% |
2% |
| Ecstasy |
2% |
12% |