Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS): drug use report 2018

Findings on drug use from the 2018 wave of the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS).


Appendix B: Base Tables

Table B.1 Bases for Figure 2.4 Proportion of pupils who had used drugs in the last month, by sex and age (1998-2018)

  All 13 year old boys All 13 year old girls All 15 year old boys All 15 year old girls
1998 303 314 561 552
2000 624 582 592 571
2002 6027 6274 5278 5271
2004 1810 1736 1672 1742
2006 5821 5834 5649 5451
2008 2655 2710 2310 2337
2010 9788 9532 9118 8746
2013 8703 8657 8203 8047
2015 6209 6550 5496 5498
2018 5684 5634 4719 4844

Table B.2 Bases for Figure 2.6 Proportion of pupils who were drinking alcohol the last time they used drugs, by sex and age (2002-2018)

13 year old boys who have ever used drugs 13 year old girls who have ever used drugs 15 year old boys who have ever used drugs 15 year old girls who have ever used drugs
2002 948 710 2013 1873
2004 268 210 568 595
2006 434 369 1458 1322
2008 189 147 581 501
2010 512 418 2076 1512
2013 419 322 1478 1260
2015 320 241 1056 803
2018 374 261 1079 811

Table B.3: Bases for Figure 3.1 Proportion of pupils ever offered drugs, by sex and age (1998-2018)

All 13 year old boys All 13 year old girls All 15 year old boys All 15 year old girls
1998 306 315 562 554
2000 619 577 593 570
2002 5862 6155 5242 5240
2004 1784 1732 1673 1732
2006 5573 5690 5484 5368
2008 2423 2584 2229 2301
2010 9081 9142 8761 8562
2013 8164 8322 7930 7894
2015 6325 6651 5625 5605
2018 5784 5750 4856 4948

Table B.4: Bases for Figure 3.5 Proportion of pupils who think it would be very or fairly easy to get drugs, by age and sex (2002-2018)

  All 13 year old boys All 13 year old girls All 15 year old boys All 15 year old girls
2002 5808 6103 5202 5217
2004 1761 1708 1647 1731
2006 5405 5552 5339 5299
2008 2453 2572 2217 2278
2010 8885 8879 8534 8372
2013 8114 8276 7854 7822
2015 6097 6464 5446 5504
2018 5557 5605 4675 4853

Table B.5: Bases for Figure 4.1 Acceptability of trying cannabis, by age and gender (2006-2018)

All 13 year old boys All 13 year old girls All 15 year old boys All 15 year old girls
2006 5917 5900 5714 5491
2008 2655 2710 2310 2337
2010 9788 9532 9118 8746
2013 8703 8657 8203 8047
2015 6067 6463 5379 5449
2018 5522 5599 4618 4829

Table B.6: Bases for Figure 4.2 Acceptability of trying cocaine, by age and gender (2006-2018)

All 13 year old boys All 13 year old girls All 15 year old boys All 15 year old girls
2006 5917 5900 5714 5491
2008 2655 2710 2310 2337
2010 9788 9532 9118 8746
2013 8703 8657 8203 8047
2015 6068 6481 5371 5464
2018 5513 5595 4611 4829

Table B.7: Bases for Figure 4.3 Acceptability of trying glue sniffing, by age and gender (2006-2018)

All 13 year old boys All 13 year old girls All 15 year old boys All 15 year old girls
2006 5917 5900 5714 5491
2008 2655 2710 2310 2337
2010 9788 9532 9118 8746
2013 8703 8657 8203 8047
2015 6070 6481 5386 5457
2018 5524 5593 4617 4833

Table B.8: Bases for Figure 4.4 Pupils' perceptions of the risks of taking drugs, by age (2018)

13 year olds 15 year olds
Heroin is addictive 11613 9984
Heroin is more dangerous than cannabis 11614 9987
Injecting drugs can lead to HIV 11599 9980
Injecting drugs can lead to Hepatitis C 11576 9967
Inhaling or sniffing solvents can cause brain damage 11583 9978
Taking cocaine is dangerous 11597 9968
Taking cannabis is dangerous 11560 9940

Table B.9: Bases for Figure 4.5 15 year old pupils' perceptions of the risks of taking drugs, by own drug use (2018)

Used drugs in the last month Never used drugs
Heroin is addictive 1238 7699
Heroin is more dangerous than cannabis 1234 7703
Injecting drugs can lead to HIV 1238 7692
Injecting drugs can lead to Hepatitis C 1231 7687
Inhaling or sniffing solvents can cause brain damage 1235 7695
Taking cocaine is dangerous 1236 7684
Taking cannabis is dangerous 1230 7660

Table B.10: Bases for Figure 4.6 15 year olds who think statements are true (2015 to 2018)

2015 2018
Heroin is addictive 10904 9984
Heroin is more dangerous than cannabis 10903 9987
Injecting drugs can lead to HIV 10897 9980
Injecting drugs can lead to Hepatitis C 10884 9967
Inhaling or sniffing solvents can cause brain damage 10891 9978
Taking cocaine is dangerous 10894 9968
Taking cannabis is dangerous 10876 9940

Table B.11: Bases for Figure 4.7 Proportion of pupils agreeing with attitudes to drug taking statements, by age (2018)

13 year olds 15 year olds
People my age who take drugs need help and advice 11517 9887
All people who sell drugs should be punished 11476 9859
People who take drugs are stupid 11427 9850
It is OK for people to take legal highs 11505 9883
Taking drugs is exciting 11521 9898

Table B.12: Bases for Figure 4.8 15 year old pupils' attitudes to drug taking by drug use status (2018)

Used drugs in the last month Never used drugs
People my age who take drugs need help and advice 1112 738
All people who sell drugs should be punished 1116 736
People who take drugs are stupid 1110 736
It is OK for people to take legal highs 1112 744
Taking drugs is exciting 1109 739

Table B.13: Bases for Figure 5.3 Comparison of prevalence of drug use among those who agree/disagree that their school provides them with enough advice and support about taking drugs (2018)

13 year olds 15 year olds
Agree 7266 5784
Disagree 1515 1405

Table B.14: Bases for Figure 5.4 Amount learned about drugs at school, by age (2018)

13 year olds 15 year olds
The risks to your health from drugs 10814 9370
The effects that taking drugs can have on other areas of your life 10812 9379
That your ability to make decisions can be affected by taking drugs 10790 9379
That people's views about smoking, drinking and taking drugs can be taking affected by the things their friends say or do 10782 9354

Table B.15: Bases for Figure 5.5 Comparison of prevalence of drug use among 15 year olds, by how much they say they have learned about drug topics in school (2018)

The risks to your health from drugs

13 year olds 15 year olds
A lot 5927 4878
A little 2886 2909
Not much/not at all 1288 1129

The effects that taking drugs can have on other areas of your life

13 year olds 15 year olds
A lot 5073 4143
A little 3182 3203
Not much/not at all 1613 1455

That your ability to make decisions can be affected by taking drugs

13 year olds 15 year olds
A lot 4834 4155
A little 3208 3189
Not much/not at all 1743 1451

That people's views about smoking, drinking and taking drugs can be taking affected by the things their friends say or do

13 year olds 15 year olds
A lot 4756 3886
A little 3335 3269
Not much/not at all 1567 1555

Table B16: Bases for Figure 5.6 Confidence in health and wellbeing choices, by age (2018)

13 year olds 15 year olds
Having the information you need to make the right choices about your health and wellbeing 10859 9465
Saying no to doing something that you don't want to do 10847 9436
Knowing where to go for information and support about substance related issues 10822 9435
Avoid getting into risky situations due to drugs 10772 9384

Table B.17: Bases for Figure 5.7 Comparison of prevalence of drug use among 15 year olds, by confidence in future health and wellbeing choices (2018)

Having the information you need to make the right choices about your health and wellbeing

13 year olds 15 year olds
Confident 9357 7943
Not very/not at all confident 630 801

Saying no to doing something that you don't want to do

13 year olds 15 year olds
Confident 9290 8155
Not very/not at all confident 699 612

Knowing where to go for information and support about substance related issues

13 year olds 15 year olds
Confident 8512 6972
Not very/not at all confident 1273 1639

Avoid getting into risky situations due to drugs

13 year olds 15 year olds
Confident 9287 7950
Not very/not at all confident 500 637

Table B.18: Bases for Figure 6.1 Comparison of prevalence of drug use, by family variables (2018)

Family status

13 year olds 15 year olds
Single parent 2089 1893
Step parent 907 874
Both parents 8001 6682

Maternal awareness

13 year olds 15 year olds
Median and above 7338 5679
Below median 3893 3993

Paternal awareness

13 year olds 15 year olds
Median and above 6367 4488
Below median 4380 4665

Family communication

13 year olds 15 year olds
Likely to talk 9929 8186
Not likely to talk 1432 1514

Caring responsibilities

13 year olds 15 year olds
Yes 1311 953
No 9846 8802

Table B.19: Bases for Figure 6.2 Comparison of prevalence of drug use, by friend variables (2018)

Number of friends

13 year olds 15 year olds
0 248 328
1 343 380
2 1151 1271
3+ 9332 7597

Age of friends

13 year olds 15 year olds
Older 552 524
Younger 225 195
Same aged 7458 6283
Mixed 2872 2574

Number of evenings spent with friends

13 year olds 15 year olds
None 1509 1301
1-2 evenings 3584 3581
3-4 evenings 3335 2852
5-6 evenings 1675 1064
7 evenings 640 552

Own cash to spend

13 year olds 15 year olds
Less than £5 a week 2469 1509
£5 or more, but less than £20 a week 5763 4252
£20 or more a week 2761 3752

Table B.20: Bases for Figure 6.3 Percentage of 15 year old pupils reporting taking part in leisure activities at least weekly, by drug use status (2018)

Used drugs in the last month Never used drugs
Listen to music 1205 7659
Use social networking sites 1202 7651
See friends 1208 7655
Watch films 1198 7647
Go to a friend's house 1176 7581
Hang out in the street 1182 7588
Play computer games 1204 7645
Go to the shops 1199 7651
Do sports 1200 7629
Do nothing 1147 7424
Do a hobby 1173 7583
Watch sports 1199 7631
Go to the cinema 1179 7593
Read books 1202 7635
Volunteer 1174 7545
Go to a concert 1177 7589
Read magazines 1202 7634
Go to church 1170 7559
Go to the theatre 1175 7576
Go to the public library 1167 7577
Go to a museum 1172 7580

Table B.21: Bases for Figure 6.4 Comparison of prevalence of drug use, by school variables (2018)

How much do you like school at the moment?

13 year olds 15 year olds
Like it a lot 1856 1038
Like it a bit 5308 4048
Not very much 2260 2540
Not at all 1487 1855

Feeling pressured by schoolwork

13 year olds 15 year olds
Never 1593 576
Sometimes 6237 3487
A lot of the time 2974 5377

Exclusion

13 year olds 15 year olds
Has been excluded 1365 1197
Has not been excluded 9267 8168

Truanting

13 year olds 15 year olds
Not at all 5988 4600
1-3 times 3003 2611
4-10 times 991 1154
More than 10 times 579 899

Post-school expectations and age

13 year olds 15 year olds
University 5978 4993
FE college 1263 1429
Apprenticeship 512 1073
Working 1114 811

Table B.22: Bases for Figure 6.5 Comparison of prevalence of drug use, by inequalities and geography variables (2018)

Self-rated health

13 year olds 15 year olds
Very Good/Good 9610 7952
Fair 1705 1654
Bad/Very bad 301 374

Illness or disability

13 year olds 15 year olds
Yes 1949 5140
No 8885 7274

Emotional and behavioural difficulties (overall SDQ score)

13 year olds 15 year olds
Normal 6436 5351
Borderline 1695 1659
Abnormal 1878 1827

Mental wellbeing (WEMWBS Score)

13 year olds 15 year olds
Below average 1271 5351
Average 1695 1659
Above average 1878 1827

SIMD Band

13 year olds 15 year olds
1-most deprived 1568 1232
2 1952 1673
3 2406 2003
4 2912 2483
5- least deprived 2908 2677

Contact

Email: salsus@gov.scot

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