Prevalence of drug use

National surveys of drug use in the general population were conducted in 11 Member States during the 1 990s. These surveys provide useful data on substances such as cannabis, whose use is relatively common and not highly stigmatised, but are less reliable for more hidden patterns of use, such as heroin injection. 

Direct comparisons between levels of use in Member States should be made with caution, especially where variations are small. Social differences (such as level of urbanisation) or cultural factors (including attitudes to drugs) may have a significant influence, even when survey methods are similar. 

Lifetime experience of cannabis, amphetamines and cocaine among adults in some EU countries, measured by national population surveys, 1994-98 

Last-12-montbs prevalence of ecstasy and cocaine use by age group in England and Wales, 1998 

Lifetime experience of cannabis among adults in Finland by level of urbanisation, 1998 

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Both of us have taught in schools and colleges and are aware that schools are now popular places for the distribution and consumption of drugs. Wc know that teachers arc likely to be distressed by the prevalence of drug use among children today, especially when they encounter increasing numbers of students who cannot concentrate and have trouble learning because they are intoxicated on one substance or another. 

You learned in Chapter I that the overall prevalence of drug use may mask important differences among subgroups of the population. This also applies to smoking. Table 7.2 summarizes 2004 national survey data for cigarette use in the past... 

Surveys of schoolchildren show that lifetime prevalence of drug use among 15 to 16-year-olds increased significantly between 1994 and 1999. Data on lifetime prevalence of cannabis use collected over several years by the European school survey project on alcohol and other drugs (ESPAD) reveal cannabis to be the most commonly-used drug, although there are some variations between countries. 

Lifetime prevalence of drug use among 15 to 16-year-olds in four CEECs, 1994-99... 

ElSohly, M.A. and Salmone S.J. (1999). Prevalence of drugs used in cases of alleged sexual assault. J. Anal. Toxicol. 23 141-146. 

Our current study of drug use and crime in arrestees in Manhattan overcame some of these measurement problems and enabled us to address some of these basic questions regarding POP use and crime. The recent use of PCP (as well as other drugs) in male arrestees was measured by a urinalysis of a specimen obtained within hours after arrest. We therefore did not have to rely on each person s accurate report that he had taken PCP. We shall use the urinalysis test results, with information from interviews with the arrestees, and from their criminal records, to describe the prevalence of PCP use in arrestees, the demographic characteristics of users and the types of offenses for which they are arrested. The next section describes our study of drug use and crime in arrestees in Manhattan. 

Reported suspicions of drug related clinical concerns are mainly hypothesis generating. They cannot be used to give any realistic size of a problem without knowing the population exposed. Various methods can be used to work out an incidence/prevalence of drug related adverse effects, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses. The methods are given briefly below. 

The reasons for medication and the way in which it tends to be used may also vary as a function of local factors. For example, LeFever et al. (1999) surveyed the prevalence of drug administration by school nurses to public school students with ADHD, grades 2... 

With generally high prevalence of drug misuse, some detected use is incidental in individuals developing core psychotic illnesses... 

Extent of drug use (annual prevalence ) estimates 2005/6 (or latest year available)... 

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