A report said TV soaps encouraged binge drinking. Campaigners criticised programme makers for unrealistic and irresponsible portrayals of heavy drinking, which did not reflect the harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
Source: Anders Hansen, The Portrayal of Alcohol and Alcohol Consumption in Television News and Drama Programmes, Alcohol Concern (020 7928 7377) | Press release 19 December 2003, Alcohol Concern
Links: Report (pdf) | Alcohol Concern press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Dec
A report examined drug use by people attending mainstream nightclubs in the south east of England, the role of drugs in the dance culture, and strategies used by drug-taking clubbers to minimise risks. It was found that 79 per cent of the clubbers had taken drugs at some time in their life, compared with 50 per cent of those aged 16-29 surveyed for the British Crime Survey 2000.
Source: Ann Deehan and Esther Saville, Calculating the Risk: Recreational drug use among clubbers in the south east of England, Online Report 43/03, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Online report (pdf) | Findings (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Dec
The government announced that arrest referral schemes, providing advice to drug-using offenders in custody on how to get treatment, were to be extended to under-18s in ten pilot areas. (The scheme was already available nationally for drug-using offenders over the age of 18.)
Source: Press release 23 October 2003, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release
Date: 2003-Oct
The European Union drug agency said that cannabis use among teenagers in the United Kingdom had begun to stabilise, but only because it was so widespread that the market had become saturated. It raised concerns about the long-term health implications of the emergence of a significant new group of teenage boys who were using cannabis intensively - more than 20 times a month.
Source: 2003 Annual Report on the State of the Drugs Problem in the European Union and Norway, European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | EMCDDA press release (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Oct
The opposition Conservative Party proposed an additional 20,000 places for young people in drug rehabilitation centres - 'enough for every young hard drug addict in Britain'. Campaigners questioned the practicality of the proposal.
Source: Speech 3.7.03 by Iain Duncan Smith MP (Leader of Conservative Party) | Press release 3.7.03, DrugScope (020 7928 1211)
Links: Text of speech | Conservative Party press release | DrugScope press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jul
A survey examined smoking, drinking and drug use among children aged 11-15 (England: autumn term of 2002). Of those sampled, 10 per cent were regular smokers (compared to a government target of 11 per cent by 2005 and 9 per cent by 2010). 24 per cent had had an alcoholic drink in the previous week (this proportion had shown no sustained increase or decrease over time). Prevalence of having ever taken drugs decreased from 29 to 26 per cent, with a corresponding decrease in drug taking in the previous year (from 20 to 18 per cent).
Source: Richard Boreham and Sally McManus (eds.), Drug Use, Smoking and Drinking among Young People in England in 2002, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | DH press release
Date: 2003-Jul
A study examined the relationship between psychiatric morbidity and smoking, drinking and cannabis use among adolescents aged 13 15. It was found that having a psychiatric disorder was associated with an increased risk of substance use, and that greater involvement with any one substance increased the risk of other substance use.
Source: A. Boys et al., 'Psychiatric morbidity and substance use in young people aged 13 15 years: results from the Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health', British Journal of Psychiatry, June 2003
Links: Abstract
Date: 2003-Jun
A study found that one in ten children in England aged 15-17 feel drinking disrupted their education at the crucial GCSE stage, as well as their health and family life.
Source: Annabel Boys et al., Teenage Drinkers: Follow-up study of alcohol use among 15-17 year olds in England, Alcohol Concern (020 7928 7377) and National Addiction Centre
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2003-Mar
The government announced a 107 million package of measures to help steer vulnerable young people away from a life of drugs and crime. For the first time treatment and drug services will be targeted at young people under 18 who are starting to use 'class A' drugs and turning to crime to fund their habit. A new youth crime programme will work directly with young drug users in communities particularly affected by drug-related crime.
Source: Press release 3.2.03, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Feb
A study examined young care-leavers patterns of drug misuse (the average age was 18 years). The group reported higher levels of drug use than the general population. One third said they smoked cannabis every day. 15 per cent had used ecstasy in the last month, and 10 per cent cocaine. Around a tenth reported taking heroin or crack cocaine at some time in their lives.
Source: Jenni Ward, Zoe Henderson and Geoffrey Pearson, One Problem among Many: Drug use among care leavers in transition to independent living, Research Study 260, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Study (pdf) | Findings (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
Researchers documented the prevalence of substance use and offending among a sample of 293 young people who were clients of youth offending teams in England and Wales. Most had committed multiple types of offences, repeatedly. Substance use was also very high: over 85 per cent had used cannabis, alcohol and tobacco, although fewer than 20 per cent had used heroin or crack cocaine.
Source: Richard Hammersley, Louise Marsland and Marie Reid, Substance Use by Young Offenders: Impact of the normalisation of drug use in the early years of the 21st century, Research Study 261, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Study (pdf) | Findings (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
Researchers examined young homeless people s use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Drug taking was found to be extensive particularly the use of recreational drugs. In addition, 43 per cent had taken heroin and 38 per cent crack cocaine. Many were poly-drug users and just over a quarter had injected drugs.
Source: Emma Wincup, Gemma Buckland and Rhianon Bayliss, Youth Homelessness and Substance Use: Report to the Drugs and Alcohol Research Unit, Research Study 258, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Study (pdf) | Findings (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb