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DRUG MISUSE IN SCOTLAND: FINDINGS FROM THE 2000 SCOTTISH CRIME SURVEY
CHAPTER THREE: TRENDS IN DRUG MISUSE 1993-2000
It is over four years since the last sweep of the SCS and it appears that drug misuse, particularly among the younger age groups, may have fallen over that time. Looking at use in the last year (the most reliable indicator of change), there has been a significant decrease in respondents reporting the use of any drug from 9% to 6.6%. There was also a significant decrease in the proportion of respondents who had 'ever' used drugs, from 22.5% to 19.2%.
As Figures 3.1 and 3.2 illustrate, on both 'last year' and 'ever' indicators, there has been a marked decrease in rates of drug misuse in the younger age groups and a less dramatic decrease in the older age groups. The only group where drug misuse has increased slightly on both measures is in people aged 25-29.
Figure 3.1: Use in the last 12 months of any drug by age and year
Figure 3.2: Use ever of any drug by age and year
The Survey results suggest that among younger people, rates of drug misuse may have dropped back to below its 1993 level and it is this reduction that is largely responsible for the decrease for the sample as a whole. In terms of use in the last year, the drop in drug misuse among 20-24 year olds, from 29% in 1996 to 18% in 2000, was statistically significant. There was also a fall amongst 16-19 year olds from 23% to 18% but this did not reach statistical significance. Experience of use 'ever' has, however, fallen significantly from 39% to 29% among 16 to 19 year olds and from 46% to 44% among those aged 20-24 (although this was not statistically significant). The major change in drug taking activity seems to be with regard to young males. Whereas reported drug use in the last year by females aged 16-24 has remained stable (20% in 1996, 19% in 2000), amongst men in the same age group reported drug use in the last year fell from 33% in 1996 to 18% in 2000.
There were statistically significant decreases in the proportion of respondents reporting the use of six specific substances - cannabis, amphetamines, LSD, magic mushrooms, ecstacy and temazepam. In terms of use 'ever', there were significant decreases in the use of seven substances - cannabis, amphetamines, LSD, magic mushrooms, temazepam, valium (unprescribed) and solvents.
The overall decrease in drug misuse among those under 25 is largely driven by a significant drop in the level of cannabis use (from 25% who said that they had taken it in the last year in 1996, to 15% in the 2000 Survey) and in the use of drugs from the 'stimulants and hallucinogens' group (from 16% in the 1996 Survey, to 6% in 2000). The proportion who had used these drugs at some time also dropped significantly - in respect of cannabis, from 40% in 1996 to 34% in 2000, and for 'stimulants and hallucinogens' from 27% to 18%. There was no significant change in the level of use of drugs in the 'opiates+' category by young people between Surveys. However, it should be noted that the number of users of such drugs picked up by the Survey is extremely small and under-reporting will also reduce the precision of SCS estimates for this group of drugs.
Although similar decreases in the use of amphetamines, ecstacy, LSD and magic mushrooms were found for both males and females, the significant drop in the use of cannabis within the last year only applied to young men, amongst whom cannabis use has apparently halved (31% in 1996 to 15% in 2000). Although the Survey recorded a small decrease between sweeps in cannabis use amongst young women, from 19% to 15%, this was not statistically significant.
Conclusions
The results of the 2000 Survey suggest that the previous upward trend in drug misuse observed during the first half of the 1990s may be tailing off. In particular, the survey found a smaller percentage in the 2000 Survey than in the 1996 Survey of people aged 16 to 25 reporting drug use in the last year. As one of the key objectives for the Scottish Executive's drug misuse strategy 'Tackling Drugs in Scotland: Action in Partnership' is to reduce drug misuse amongst the under 25s, this survey finding is clearly encouraging, although further sweeps of the Crime Survey would be necessary before a definitive conclusion on whether this is evidence of a sustained downward trend.
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