Association between illegal drugs and weapon carrying in young people in Scotland: schools' survey.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the type and extent of weapons being carried among young people in Scotland, and to determine the relation between use of illegal drugs and weapon carrying.


METHODS
Questionnaire school survey.


METHODS
Independent schools in central Scotland and schools in Lanarkshire and Perth and Kinross.


METHODS
3121 students aged 11 to 16 in 20 schools.


METHODS
Self completion questionnaire reporting history of drug use and weapon carrying.


RESULTS
Overall, 34.1% of males and 8. 6% of females reported having carried a weapon (P<0.0001), ranging from 29.2% of boys aged 11-13 (classes S1 to S2) to 39.3% of boys aged 13-15 (S3 to S4). These values are higher than those in a recent survey of young people in England. Weapon carrying in Lanarkshire was 70% higher for males than in the rural area of Perth and Kinross. Both males and females who had taken drugs were more likely to carry weapons (63.5% of male drug users versus 20.5% of non-users and 22.8% of female drug users versus 3.7% of non-users; both P<0.0001). The proportions of males carrying weapons who used none, one, two, three or four, or five or more illegal drugs were 21%, 52%, 68%, 74%, and 92% respectively. A similar trend was found among females.


CONCLUSIONS
Better information is needed on the nature and extent of weapon carrying by young people in the United Kingdom, and better educational campaigns are needed warning of the dangers of carrying weapons.
McKeganey
N
N
Centre for Drug Misuse Research, University of Glasgow G12 8SQ. gkua27@udcf.gla.ac.uk
Norrie
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D015995:Prevalence; D012067:Religion; D012606:Scotland; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence
D013287:Illicit Drugs