This document summarizes drug use statistics from surveys in England and Wales. It shows that cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamine, and ketamine use has increased in adults aged 16-59 since 1996, particularly in those aged 16-24. Cannabis use is highest in those aged 16-29 and has also increased overall since 1996. Cocaine use is most common in adults aged 20-34. Regional and gender differences in drug use are also presented. For young people aged 15, around 1 in 3 report taking drugs in the last year, most commonly cannabis. Drug use is more prevalent in boys than girls at this age.

1. Drug Use 2013/14
Data from:
Crime Survey for England and
Wales &
Smoking Drinking and Drug Use
Among Young People in England

2. ADULTS
Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tables-for-
drug-misuse-findings-from-the-2013-to-2014-csew

3. Cocaine, Ecstasy, Amphetamine and
Ketamine use in the last year 1996 –
2013/14
16-59 years
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
1996
1998
2000
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
Powder cocaine Ecstasy
Amphetamines Ketamine
16-24 years
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
14.0
1996
1998
2000
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
Powder cocaine Ecstasy
Amphetamines Ketamine

4. Cannabis use in the last year by age
group
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
1996
1998
2000
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
16–19
20–24
25–29
30–34
35–44
45–54
55–59

5. Cocaine use in the last year by age
group
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
1996
1998
2000
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
16–19
20–24
25–29
30–34
35–44
45–54
55–59

6. Regional variation in last year use
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
Any Class A drug
Any stimulant drug
Any drug

7. More than monthly drug use
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
16–19 20–24 25–29 30–34 35–44 45–54 55–59
2012/13
2013/14

8. Regional variation for more than
monthly drug use
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5

9. Proportion of men and women (16-59
years) taking drugs in the last year
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
14.0
16.0
18.0
Men
Women

10. Proportion of 16 to 59 year olds reporting use of
drugs in the last year, by self-reported sexual
orientation
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
Hetrosexual
Male
Hetrosexual
Female
Gay or
Bisexual
Male
Gay or
Bisexual
Female
Any Class A drug
Any stimulant drug
Any drug
Three-year combined
dataset (2011/12 to
2013/14 CSEW)

11. Source of drugs when last taken
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
A family member
Someone else well known to you
Someone else known to you only by sight or to
speak to casually
A stranger
A known dealer
A dealer not known to you personally
The internet
A shop
Only those over 35 years
said they had used the
internet to purchase their
drugs

12. YOUNG PEOPLE
Source: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/article/2021/Website-
Search?productid=15144&q=smoking%2c+drinking+and+drug+use
&sort=Relevance&size=10&page=1&area=both#top

13. Proportion of English pupils who
took drugs in the last year
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
15 years
14 years
13 years
12 years
11 years

14. Summary of drugs taken in the last
year by 15 year olds
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Boys (15 years) Girls (15 years)
Two or more types of drug,
including at least one Class A
drug
Two or more types of drug, but
no Class A drugs
Any other type of drug
Any Class A drug
Volatile substances only
Cannabis only
Pupils who took drugs in the last year

15. Cannabis use by boys and girls
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
14.0
16.0
Boys
Girls

16. Number of occasions 15 year old
pupils have ever taken drugs
5%
6%
2%
6%
7%
74%
Once
2-5 occasions
6-10 occasions
More than 10 occasions
Taken drugs, not in last
year
Never taken drugs

17. Proportion of 15 year old pupils who
usually take drugs at least once a month
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Boys (15 years)
Girls (15 years)

18. Usual frequency of drug use among 15 year
old pupils who took drugs in the last year
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Most days At least
once a
week
Once or
twice a
month
A few times
a year
Once a year
or less often
Taken
drugs in last
year but
only ever
taken drugs
once
Boys (15 yeas Girls (15 years)
Pupils who took
drugs in the last
year

19. Proportion of pupils who have been
offered drugs
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
11 years 12 years 13 years 14 years 15 years
Boys
Girls