New survey data from the DSM Foundation, a charity founded following the death of 16 year old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs from an accidental overdose, has revealed that 95 per cent of 15-18 year olds surveyed state that vaping is one of the main substances used by their peers. Over 70 per cent of respondents also name it as a substance that they think is causing their peers the most problems.
In the survey, which was carried out during the 2022-23 academic year, students in Years 11-13 (or equivalent) were asked to anonymously provide insight into topics such as any drugs education they had previously had, any subjects they particularly wanted covered during the DSM Foundation session, and their perceptions about substance use, behaviours and motivations.
Vaping was the most popular answer given in response to the question “Which are the main substances people in your year group use, if they do?”, followed by alcohol at 93 per cent, cigarettes at 76 per cent, and cannabis/weed at 74 per cent. The highest level of unacceptability was benzodiazepines/Xanax at 65 per cent, with steroids, LSD, cocaine, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine and magic mushrooms all scoring over 45 per cent in terms of “not OK”.
In terms of acceptability, vaping scored highly with 62 per cent regarding regular use as acceptable, with alcohol next at 52 per cent. The “OK to use occasionally” figures were 18 per cent and 36 per cent for vaping and alcohol respectively, with cannabis/weed also at 36 per cent.
The survey also revealed that “curiosity”, “socializing” and “for fun/relaxation” were the highest rated responses when asked about the reasons for someone their age using drugs. However, over 50 per cent stated “pressure” as one of the three main reasons they thought someone their age might use drugs, with around 42 per cent giving “coping with problems” and 28 per cent “addiction” in their top three.
DSM Foundation Director, Founder and Dan’s mum Fiona Spargo-Mabbs said: “These data are incredibly useful for us in planning our drug education to make sure we meet the needs and priorities of students, but they also provide an invaluable insight into evolving trends, attitudes and behaviours, which inform all our wider work. The DSM Foundation shares the concerns of so many, seeing the levels of vaping rising so rapidly, especially since disposable vapes make this so attractive, accessible and easy for young people to do, presenting huge challenges to schools. Education is absolutely key to addressing this, for both young people and parents, alongside effective enforcement of regulations restricting exposure and availability to young people in real world situations.”
According to a survey conducted by the DSM Foundation, an organization established following the death of 16 year-old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs, 95 per cent of respondents aged 15-18 say that vaping is one of the main substances used by their peers. 70 per cent also named it as a substance that they think is causing their peers the most problems.
The survey was conducted during the 2022-23 academic year and asked students in Years 11-13 (or equivalent) to anonymously provide insight into topics such as any drugs education they had previously had, any subjects they particularly wanted covered during the DSM Foundation session, and their perceptions about substance use, behaviours and motivations.
The survey showed that vaping was the most popular answer in response to the question “Which are the main substances people in your year group use, if they do?”, followed by alcohol at 93 per cent, cigarettes at 76 per cent, and cannabis/weed at 74 per cent. The highest level of unacceptability was benzodiazepines/Xanax at 65 per cent, with steroids, LSD, cocaine, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine and magic mushrooms all scoring over 45 per cent in terms of “not OK”.
When asked about the reasons for someone their age using drugs, “curiosity”, “socializing” and “for fun/relaxation” were the highest rated responses. However, over 50 per cent stated “pressure” as one of the three main reasons they thought someone their age might use drugs, with around 42 per cent giving “coping with problems” and 28 per cent “addiction” in their top three.
In response, DSM Foundation Director, Founder and Dan’s mum Fiona Spargo-Mabbs said: “These data are incredibly useful for us in planning our drug education to make sure we meet the needs and priorities of students, but they also provide an invaluable insight into evolving trends, attitudes and
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