Substance misuse among young people 2008-09
On 23 December 2009, the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) published a paper detailing figures on drug and alcohol interventions for young people.
The paper reveals that more teenagers in England who need assistance are receiving it for problems involving drug and alcohol use, but fewer have problems severe enough to require treatment for addiction.
Evidence continues to suggest that overall drug and alcohol use among the general population of young people is declining, and the increasing availability of specialist substance misuse services ensures that many more of the minority who do need help are getting it.
Reported trends show:
- The number of under-18s needing help for problem drug use associated with heroin and crack has dropped from 1,081 in 2005/06 to 657 in 2008/09.
- The number being helped for cocaine use increased by more than half last year to 806, compared to 453 in 2005/06, and this year fell to 745. The primary use of these drugs represents 6% of the total number of young people receiving help in 2008/09.
- Cannabis accounted for 12,642 individuals and alcohol 8,799, accounting for almost nine out of 10 of all young people receiving support in the year.
- Addiction is rare among young people, and an NTA analysis of trends in interventions offered to under-18s over the last four years shows a steady decline in the reported incidence of problems with hard drugs more commonly associated with addiction in adults.
Substance misuse among young people 2008-09 (PDF)
