Facts about drugs

All drugs are classed as either legal or illegal (illicit).

• 'Illegal drugs' include heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD and cannabis (these are divided into Class A, B or C depending on how addictive they are).
• 'Recreational drugs' are drugs that people use for pleasure or relaxation. Most recreational drugs are illegal. However, alcohol and tobacco are legal recreational drugs. (Some religious people would include caffeine as a 'recreational' drug and would avoid its use.)
• 'Prescription drugs' are those prescribed by a doctor to treat a medical condition, and are legal.

Statistics about drugs

Illegal drugs

According to National Health Service (NHS) reports (2007):

• In 2005/06, 10.5% of adults aged 16 to 59 living in England and Wales had used one or more illicit (illegal) drug in the last year, a decrease from 12.1% in 1998.
• 6.3% had used an illicit (illegal) drug in the last month, a fall from 7.1% in 1998.
• The use of any Class A drug (like heroine) in the last year has increased, from 2.7% in 1998 to 3.4% in 2005/06, mainly due to a rise in the use of cocaine powder.
• Men are more likely to take illicit (illegal) drugs than women: 13.7% of men compared with 7.4% of women took illegal drugs in the last year.
• For Class A drugs, the highest levels were found among those living in London.
• For younger adults aged 16 to 24, drug use in the last year fell between 1998 and 2005/06, from 31.8% to 25.2%, whilst the use of Class A drug use has remained stable.