Pubdate: Sat, 06 Dec 2003
Source: Guardian, The (UK)
Copyright: 2003 Guardian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/175

MESSAGE IN THE BOTTLE

There was some good news this week on the use of illicit drugs.

Indeed, a 20% fall in the use of ecstasy among young people and no serious 
increase in other class A drugs, prompted an enthusiastic response from 
Caroline Flint, the Home Office drugs minister.

She described the latest statistics from the British Crime Survey as proof 
that "young people are getting the message that drugs are harmful and some 
drugs can, and do, kill. It's encouraging to see signs that our work is 
having an effect." There are plenty of positive trends she can point to: 
the regular increases in use of drugs in the late 1990s has flattened out; 
the use of more serious (class A) drugs - LSD, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, 
heroin, magic mushrooms - among young people has remained stable since 
1996. There has also been a steep drop in the use of amphetamines and no 
sign that government moves to relax the laws on cannabis have led to an 
increase in their use, as some predicted.

But before there is too much celebration, drugs charities were right to 
warn about reading too much into one year's figures.

It is too early to say the fall in ecstasy is a long-term trend.

There is some evidence that its decline has little to do with health 
warnings and a lot more to do with fashion. Drug agencies point to the 
demise of all-night dances as a more likely trigger for the decline in the 
use of ecstasy.

Its compounds are similar to the drug used by second world war pilots to 
keep going all night. But all-night dances are now being replaced by the 
return of live gigs and rock music.

The report is also useful for some widely-held myths it dispels: there is 
more serious drug-taking in affluent urban areas than on poor inner-city 
estates; similarly, the 10% of white 16- to 24-year-olds who use class A 
drugs, is five times the proportion of young black people (2%).

There could be another explanation for the switch from illicit drugs.

Young people are moving back to a legitimate, but often more dangerous 
drug, alcohol. Binge drinking among young people is on the rise. Two out of 
five young people (18 to 24) get "very drunk" at least once a month, and 
one in three admits to getting into that state once a week. The links 
between excessive drink and excessive violence are daunting.

Drink leads to 40% of all domestic violence, 50% of serious road crashes 
and 50% of street punch ups. There are 13,000 violent incidents in licensed 
premises every week. The new Licensing Act gives more powers to the police 
and courts to shut down pubs or wine bars which serve drunk customers.

Ms Flint should ensure that these new powers are rigorously applied.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman