SUBSTANCE ABUSE among early school leavers is significantly higher than among those remaining in education, a study has revealed.
Commissioned by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, the study among 15 to 18-year-olds found the role of parents and peers and other factors that led to early school-leaving had an enormous influence on the prevalence of substance abuse.
The study divided 15 substances into four classes: cigarettes; alcohol and legal party pills; cannabis and other drugs, and it analysed the data over three separate periods.
It found over two-fifths (41 per cent) of early school leavers had taken hard drugs (such as psychedelics, cocaine and heroin) during their lifetime, compared to only 11 per cent of school goers. Over half (57 per cent) had used cannabis, compared to 24 per cent of school attendees, and they were more likely to smoke (82 to 53 per cent).
Alcohol abuse levels were similar among the two groups, with 90 per cent of early school leavers having drunk alcohol at least once compared to 88 per cent among school goers.
Entitled Risk and Protection Factors for Substance Use among Young People, the study found both the young person’s family (especially parents) and the educational institution can have a major impact on the risk of abusing substances. It said: “The involvement of parents with their children is a major protective factor, reducing the risk of substance use, just as parental concern about their children’s behaviour and future prospects insulates them, at least to a certain extent, from this risk.”
The research found a positive school experience, including good relationships with teachers, can also protect against the risk of drug abuse.
“The higher levels of substance use that are observed among early school leavers are not explained by the nature of their current educational context, but are primarily the result of the factors underlying early school leaving.
“At the school level, by far the most important factor is for the young person to feel supported by their teachers and to have a positive experience of school and learning. These are the strongest potential effects detected in this study and cannot be emphasised enough,” it added.
Advisory committee chairman Des Corrigan said programmes that support families need to be strengthened so they can intervene at an early stage to prevent or delay early substance use. He called for substance use education to be delivered to all second-level schools. Speaking at the report’s publication yesterday, Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs Pat Carey said supporting, encouraging and building the confidence of young people must be central to society.
