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." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin