Pubdate: Fri, 27 May 2005
Source: Scotsman (UK)
Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2005
Contact:  http://www.scotsman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406
Author: Chris Mooney

CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 14 ARE SUPPLYING DRUGS IN CAPITAL

Children as young as 14 have been caught dealing heroin in the
Capital.

Schoolboy dealers have also been arrested for peddling cocaine and
cannabis in the city in the past 18 months. The extent of drug dealing
by schoolage children in Edinburgh has been uncovered by new
statistics released to the Evening News under the Freedom of
Information Act.

Drug workers in the city said they had never come across cases of
children so young being involved in the sale of hard drugs.

They believe the massive influx of heroin into Edinburgh in the past
few years has led to children who would otherwise be selling cannabis
getting involved in more dangerous drugs.

Fears have also been raised that youngsters are being used as couriers
by adults in the hope the children will be let off with the crime if
they are caught.

Drugs workers say they are concerned children are dealing, but added
the number of youngsters using and offered drugs is actually falling.

This year, a 15-year-old boy has been charged with possession of
cocaine with intent to supply after being arrested on Broomhouse Road,
while another youngster was arrested in the Moat area of the city
charged with dealing heroin. A 14-year-old was charged with allegedly
dealing heroin from a flat in Restalrig in the middle of the afternoon
in the past 18 months, and in a separate incident a 15-year-old was
charged with supplying cannabis in Leith.

One of the youngest cases in recent years saw a 13-year-old boy
arrested in a flat in Abbeyhill and charged with dealing cannabis.

The news follows a recent study, carried out by researchers at
Edinburgh University, which questioned 7000 13 and 15-year-olds in
Scotland.

Around a third of all 15-year-olds and 11 per cent of all 13-year-olds
reported that they had used drugs in the last year.

The Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey,
published by the Scottish Executive, also showed six per cent of all
15-year-olds and two per cent of all 13-year-olds said they used drugs
"once or twice a month".

Three per cent of all 15-year-olds and one per cent of all
13-year-olds said they used drugs "at least once a week".

Alistair Ramsay, director of Scotland Against Drugs, said: "There is a
very cynical step being taken here by criminals using young people as
part of their distribution network."

The total number of arrests of people under 16 dealing in drugs in
Lothian and Borders between April 2002 and March 2005 was 21, with 47
crimes between them. Five of those were arrested and charged in Edinburgh.

Tam Hendry, director of Streetwork, which sends groups of volunteers
to the cityA's housing estates to educate young people to help them
stay off drugs,

said he had never come across cases of children so young being
involved in dealing hard drugs in the city.

He added:

"There has been a huge increase in heroin coming into Edinburgh and
itA's no surprise some younger people are getting involved in that
trade."

Constable Douglas McInnes, drugs awareness officer for south and
central Edinburgh, said

: "I donA't think we can be complacent, but the numbers are small."
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