NCJ Number
203334
Journal
Addiction Volume: 98 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2003 Pages: 1615-1623
Date Published
November 2003
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study determined the nature and extent of exposure to drugs in a sample of pre-teenage children; and it identified some of the factors that might be associated with such exposure.
Abstract
The study involved a survey of 1,222 students in 34 primary and secondary schools in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2000. The final sample size was 1,202, approximately 10 percent of 10- to 12-year-old children in public schools in Glasgow. The survey found that one-third of the children had been exposed to drugs by either being in locations where they were being used or having been offered drugs. The most common drug to which they had been exposed was cannabis; however, a significant number of children had also been exposed to more dangerous drugs, such as heroin, amphetamines, ecstasy, and cocaine. Approximately 1 in 9 of the children surveyed believed it would be easy for them to obtain cannabis, and nearly 1 in 20 said it would be easy to obtain heroin. Factors most often linked to children's exposure to drugs were drug use by friends or family members, associating with peers who engaged in antisocial activities, the child's own involvement in problem behaviors, and the regular consumption of alcoholic beverages. Boys and older children were significantly more likely to be offered drugs. Clearly, the findings indicate that far too many children are being exposed to drug use and enticements to use drugs. The most worrisome factor is drug use by parents, since parents are the primary supervisors of children's experiences, behaviors, and contacts with peers. 8 tables, 7 notes, and 27 references