Chapter 3 Types of Drugs Used
3.1 Use of specific drugs 12 in the last year is shown in Figure 3-1.
Figure 3-1: Use of specific drugs in last year
Source: 2004 Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey
Base: unweighted n=2955
3.2 Cannabis was by far the most commonly used (6 per cent). All other drugs were used by fewer than 2 per cent of respondents with the next most common being cocaine (1.5 per cent), ecstasy (1.2 per cent), and amphetamines (1 per cent). Only 0.3 per cent of the respondents had used heroin and 0.2 per cent had used crack cocaine.
3.3 Trends in the use of specific drugs are detailed in Table C-1 in Annex C. LSD (2 per cent in 1993 versus 1.6 per cent in 2004); amphetamines (2.2 per cent in 1993 versus 1 per cent in 2004); and magic mushrooms (1 per cent in 1993 versus 0.2 per cent in 2004) are being used by fewer individuals in 2004 than 1993. In contrast, the use of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin has increased between 1993 and 2004.
Methods of drugs taking
3.4 Those individuals who admitted to drug taking were asked which methods they had ever used to take drugs (but not which particular drugs they had taken using each method). The results data are displayed in Figure 3-2.
3.5 The results reflect the types of drugs most commonly used. That is, 87 per cent of those who had ever taken drugs had smoked, sniffed, or inhaled the drug. This reflects the fact that the most commonly used drug was cannabis. Thirty six per cent had swallowed, eaten, or drunk the drug. Again these could be the methods used to take cannabis and also the other relatively commonly used drugs such as amphetamines and ecstasy. Of those who had ever taken drugs, only 3 per cent had used injection as a method. Two- thirds of this group indicated they had ever used heroin.
Figure 3-2: Methods of drug taking
Source: 2004 Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey
Base: all those who have taken drugs, unweighted n = 672
Use of specific drugs by age
3.6 Given the importance of age when analysing drug use, the types of specific drugs used both ever and in the last year were also examined by age group. The results are displayed in Table A-2 in Annex A.
3.7 The 3 most commonly used drugs in the last year are displayed in Table 3-1. The highest proportion of individuals in all groups had used cannabis. A higher proportion had used cocaine and ecstasy in each age group than amphetamines.
Table 3-1: Three most commonly used drugs in the last year by age
| 16-19 | 20-2413 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-59 |
|---|
1 st | Cannabis | Cannabis | Cannabis | Cannabis | Cannabis | Cannabis |
2 nd | Ecstasy | Cocaine | Ecstasy | Cocaine | Ecstasy | Cocaine |
3 rd | Amphetamines | Amphetamines | Amphetamines / Cocaine | Ecstasy | Amphetamines / Magic Mushrooms | Amphetamines |
Source: 2004 Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey
Bases: 16-19 unweighted n=134
20-24 unweighted n=195
25-29 unweighted n=288
30-34 unweighted n=359
35-39 unweighted n=455
40-59 unweighted n=1524
Sex differences in use of specific drugs
3.8 The specific drugs taken by men and women in different age groups are displayed in Tables A-3 and A-4 in Annex A.
3.9 For each drug, more men than women had 'ever' used it. The same was generally true for current use, with more men than women having used each drug in the last year. The exceptions were temazepam and poppers, which had been used by more women than men in the last year.