From: [Stewar t P] at [tuareg.demon.co.uk] (Stewart Parkinson)
Organization: Absolutely None

In an effort to get all of these figures posted....

In 1992 the Home Office in the UK ran the British Crime Survey.  One of
the items covered was drug usage.

The information is 'self-reported'; that is a selective sample of people
were mailed, and asked to fill in the appropriate information and return
the form.  It is acknowledged by the Home Office that despite the
mailings being blind and anonymous, 'self-reporting' tends to produce
low figures.  The Home Office refer to these as 'floor figures'.

Key Points of the Survey

o       17% of people aged 12 to 59 said that they had ever taken illegal
        drugs

o       People aged 16 to 29 were most likely to say that they had ever
        taken any of the drugs  -  28% in total

o       Cannabis was by far the most commonly taken drug. 24% of 16-29
        year olds said that they had taken it

o       Amphetamines were the next most popular, with a 9% reporting among
        16 - 29 year olds.

o       Ecstasy and LSD usage was most common among 16 - 19 year olds, with
        a reported usage rate of 8%.

o       Cocaine usage was most common among 16 - 29 year olds, with a
        reported rate of 3%.

o       Less than 1% of the total survey said that they had ever taken crack
        or heroin.


The most typical cannabis user was white, male, in a managerial or
professional position and in their late twenties.

There are 12,266,000 people aged 16 - 29 in the UK, which means that
2,944,000 people in that age group are users of or have used cannabis.

Source:  Research and Planning Unit, Home Office, London

Note:  These figures do seem awfully low.  In a survey conducted by Gallup on
behalf of a London magazine, 99% of individuals aged 16 - 24 said that they
used or had used cannabis.  Mind you, would you admit to drug usage to
_your_ local friendly government agency ?

--
Stewart Parkinson
                                      "Cannabis in silvis primum natum est."
                                                         - Pliny the elder

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