As many students have tried an illegal drug as have tried smoking, according to a study to be launched today.
The National Student Drug survey shows 82% of respondents have taken illegal drugs at some stage in their lives — the same figure as those that have smoked at least once.
The anonymous online survey, carried out between October and December last year and which received 2,700 responses, also found that 92% of students have tasted alcohol at least once.
The Irish Examiner reported some of the initial findings earlier this year, including that nearly half of third-level students have recently smoked cannabis and almost a third have recently taken ecstasy.
The study, led by drugs researcher Tim Bingham and psychologist Colin O’Driscoll, found that among those use drugs, just 5% did so due to social or peer pressure, while 27% said they took drugs for ‘fun’. Another 19% cited curiosity as the reason for taking drugs, while 13% said drugs helped them to ‘switch off’.
Source: Noel Baker, Irish Examiner, 10/11/15
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