Richard Bruton
Question:112 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the latest figures on the use of alcohol and drugs among school-going children; and the trends over the past ten years. [16206/00]
Written Answers. - Alcohol and Drug Use.
The health promotion unit of my Department commissioned the centre of health promotion studies at the National University of Ireland, Galway, to carry out the first national surveys on lifestyle behaviours for school-going children, Health Behaviour of School-Aged Children, HBSC, and adults SLAN, the results of which were published in 1999. The HBSC report is part of a World Health Organisation study which looks at a wide range of health behaviours ranging from general health and well being to oral health, alcohol use, etc.
The HBSC survey showed that children are experimenting with alcohol at a very young age and a substantial number of adolescents are involved in high risk drinking. That survey reported that more than 50% have had a drink prior to ages nine to 11 and up to 18% of boys in that age group were current drinkers. A total of 29% of children aged between nine and 17 years reported being really drunk. However, within the 15 - 17 age group, up to 59% of boys reported being really drunk and the corresponding figure for girls was 52%.
School surveys indicate that there has been an increase in the consumption of drugs, in particular cannabis. A European school survey project on alcohol and other drugs (ESPAD) which was conducted in 1995 indicated that 37% of the 2000 16 year olds surveyed in Ireland had, at some stage, tried cannabis. This figure was high by comparison with most other EU member states. However, this figure should be qualified by noting that of this group of young people only 10% had used cannabis 20 times or more. The prevalence of the use of cannabis among the group in the 12 months prior to the study was 33% and the 30 days prevalence was 19%. Figures for use of ecstasy would be similar. The health promotion unit has commissioned a further Irish input to an ESPAD survey from which data should be available early in 2001. It is also intended to commission a further national HBSC survey in 2001.