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Drug and alcohol support programmes 'working'

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'Positive signs'

The National Treatment Agency (NTA), which was established by the government in 2001 to increase the availability of treatment for young people, has released figures today which it claims demonstrate "positive signs" in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse among young people in England, the BBC reports.

According to research by the NTA, the amount of young people aged 18 or under abusing substances has fallen, while there has also been a rise in the number of those with addiction problems seeking professional help.

Children's secretary Ed Balls stated that the figures reflected a concerted effort by the government to increase drug and alcohol awareness, telling the news source: "We are committed to making sure young people receive good quality education about the risks of drugs, through statutory Personal Social Health Education at school and the Frank campaign."

"At the same time we are providing young people with real alternatives through record investment in positive activities, at times when they want them."

NTA study

The NTA report shows that 23,905 young people under the age of 18 were enrolled in drug and alcohol treatment programmes in 2007-8, compared to 20,643 in 2006-7. This rise has been attributed by the NTA to a concerted effort by support organisations to make drug and alcohol abuse treatment programs easier to access for the majority of young people.

NTA director of delivery Rosanna O'Connor told the BBC it was vital young people felt support services were open and accessible, commenting: "They are vulnerable to being damaged by drugs and future dependence if they are not provided with relevant interventions early enough."

The NTA claims that every local authority in England now has, or has access to, a substance abuse service specialising in cases of drug and alcohol misuse in young people. It further claims contemporary perceptions that drug and alcohol abuse among young people is on the increase are unfounded, according to the BBC.

This assertion appears to be supported by a 2007 NHS information centre survey, which suggested a steady downward trend in drug and alcohol misuse since 2001. One example of this decline, quoted by the news source, was that 46 per cent of young people surveyed in 2007 claimed never to have tried alcohol, compared to 39 per cent in 2001.

According to the NTA report, of those that were helped via support programmes in 2007-8, the majority – 12,021 – were seeking support for beating an addiction to cannabis. Alcohol was the second most common substance for which young people sought help for addiction problems, with 8,589 under 18s in support programmes. A far smaller proportion was admitted to programmes suffering from addictions to Class A and B drugs, while one quarter of those seeking help for addiction problems were under the age of 15.

Cannabis use

In January 2008 the Department of Health (DoH) released figures showing that 500 children and adults per week in England were being treated for cannabis addiction.

At the time, a DoH spokeswoman told the BBC: "The increasing numbers accessing treatment as a result of cannabis use demonstrates that treatment services are getting better at engaging those in need of treatment, despite an overall reduction in the prevalence of cannabis use."

However, further figures from the department showed that the number of children needing medical help as a result of smoking cannabis had increased to approximately 9,200.

Commenting on the figures, a spokesperson from drug abuse charity Addaction warned that cannabis use among young people is a particularly serious issue, stating: "It does have serious impacts on mental health and physical development."

This assertion is backed by the British Medical Association, with a spokesperson from the organisation telling the BBC: "This is a drug that is mostly smoked, so that can cause lung damage and cancer.

"There are also concerns about the potential negative effect cannabis has on users' psychiatric state."

Alcohol abuse

Addiction support service Alcohol Concern recently announced it would be working in conjunction with the National Children's Bureau to produce a further report examining the current state of alcohol support services for young people across the UK. The report, which will take the form of a survey and run until the end of January 2009, will be issued to service providers and be used to inform a detailed review of the situation by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Figures from the organisation back up the assertion that alcohol abuse among young people is decreasing, with the number of 11-15 year-olds consuming alcohol on a regular basis falling from 58 per cent in 2005 to 54 per cent in 2006. However, it further reports that the mean consumption of alcohol among young people had risen over a ten-year period from five units per week in the early 1990s to ten units per week by 2004.

According to the support service, the most popular drinks consumed by those under 18 are beer, lager and cider, while alcopops such as Smirnoff Ice and WKD are also popular, but usage tends to decrease with age. The primary reasons given by young people for alcohol consumption are reported to be the wish to demonstrate maturity, have fun and to test their own limits.

For practical support, organisations such as Talk to Frank or Addaction can help.

If you are concerned that someone you love may be abusing substances, or if you feel you may have an addiction problem and would like to discuss your problems in a non-judgemental environment, you can call Samaritans for emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 08457 90 90 90 (GB) or 1850 60 90 90 (ROI).