NCJ Number
163775
Date Published
1996
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Preliminary findings from the 1994-1995 Northern Ireland Crime Survey indicated that about 1 in 5 people between 16 and 59 years of age said they had taken at least one illegal drug.
Abstract
Almost 2,200 people were asked about their experience with and use of illegal drugs and drugs not normally available without a doctor's prescription. Respondents were asked if they had heard of the drugs, if they had ever used them, and whether they had used them recently. People between 18 and 21 years of age were most likely to admit they used drugs, and almost half claimed to have used drugs. More men than women said they used drugs, and more men than women used more than one drug. Cannabis was the most commonly used drug, experienced by 12 percent of respondents and 24 percent of those between 18 and 25 years of age. Amylnitrate was the next most popular drug type; more people used LSD (4 percent) than ecstasy (3 percent). The least commonly used drugs included methadone, crack, heroin, and cocaine. The number of arrests for drug offenses rose from 429 in 1990 to 1,558 in 1995, an increase of 263 percent. The number of persons prosecuted for drug offenses and police seizures of controlled drugs also increased. Limitations of the self-report survey used to obtain information on drug use are noted. 7 figures