YouGov Survey Reveals 1-in-3 Teens Take Drugs at School

A new report reveals many thousands of 16 to 24-year-olds are choosing to take illegal drugs at school. The report should serve as a warning to both teachers, parents and the Government.

Specifically, the report says one in three 16 to 24-year-olds admitted to having gone to school or work whilst under the influence of illegal drugs.

The YouGov survey also revealed one-in-five 16 to 24-year-olds have taken illegal drugs at some point over the last 12 months.

The YouGov poll reveals the ease in which teens are able to get their hands on illegal and controlled substances.

The poll questioned 1,300 people between the ages of 16 to 24 years old.

Some of the key finds of the report include:

  • One in three teens admitted to attending school with illegal drugs still in their system
  • One in three teens admitted to attending work with illegal drugs still in their system
  • One in two admitted to being able to get cannabis delivered to their home in around an hour’s time

In a similar report conducted by Vice Magazine, one in five admitted to being able to get cocaine delivered to their home in around an hour after placing the order with drug dealers.

The report reveals the most popular illegal drug of choice for people aged 16 to 24 was cannabis. In fact, a massive 88% of those surveyed admitted having taken cannabis over the last 12 months. The second most popular drug was MDMA. 40% of those surveyed admitted to taking MDMA over the last 12 months.

The survey pointed out that possession of controlled drugs carries a potential jail term for those caught. One in three said they simply did not care that taking these drugs meant they were committing a criminal act.

The Government has repeatedly stated that it does not intend to reclassify cannabis as a legal substance. Currently, cannabis is a Class B controlled substance in the United Kingdom.

Current cannabis legislation is highly controversial, and many politicians are now calling for it to be made legal. In fact, the Liberal Democrats included cannabis legalisation in their 2017 General Election Manifesto.

Another report reveals teens who chose to abuse drugs are more likely to commit suicide during their 20s.  This is particularly the case for alcohol. In fact, those admitted to hospital for alcohol-related injuries have a five-hundred percent increased risk of committing suicide.

The lead researcher, Professor David Cottrell, says more money must be via the NHS to help teenagers who experiment with illegal drugs.

He said: ‘The UK is falling behind many other countries who are adopting progressive policies towards drug use.

‘These countries have embraced the evidence and recognise that punishing people who use drugs do not improve their health and adds to social inequality. ‘

Many people are hitting out at the ‘War on Drugs’ and challenging the Home Office’s approach to illegal drugs as antiquated, inflexible and above all ineffective.

For instance, many experts say services should be made available to test the contents of drugs at venues where they are commonly consumed by young adults.