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Written question asked by Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative) on Tuesday, 22 April 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 24 April 2008. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Thursday, 8 May 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Cocaine

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many 16 to 24-year-olds were reported to have taken any form of cocaine in each year since 1996;
Answer

The British Crime Survey (BCS) routinely provides information about the numbers and proportions of people who have used drugs ever, in the last year and in the last month.Tables 1 and 2 provide trends, where available, of the estimated number of 16 to 24-year-olds and 16 to 59-year-olds respectively, who have used any form of cocaine in the last year.These estimates are based on small samples and subject to large margins of error, as indicated in the tables.Trends in the proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds and 16 to 59 year olds who have used any form of cocaine are also included and show an increase in use among both age groups between the 1996 and 2006-07 BCS.

Table 1 Estimates of numbers and prevalence of 16 to 24-year-olds who have used any form of cocaine in the last year. 1996 to 2006-07 BCS
Best estimate Lower estimate Higher estimate % of 16 to 24 year olds Statistically significant change 1996 Unweighted base
1996 82 49 136 1.4 — 1,420
1998 180 125 257 3.2 * 1,246
2000 304 235 391 5.4 * 1,468
2001-02 289 247 339 5.1 * 3,995
2002-03 300 257 350 5.2 * 4,227
2003-04 318 278 364 5.4 * 5,531
2004-05 312 275 355 5.1 * 6,196
2005-06 370 327 417 5.9 * 5,892
2006-07 375 332 423 6.1 * 5,706
Notes: 1. The values are derived by adding or subtracting the confidence interval around the 2006-07 sample best estimates. Lower and higher estimates are based on 95 per cent. confidence intervals (calculated using a logit transformation where proportions were less than 0.2 or greater than 0.8). 2. The figures are calculated using population estimates provided by the Government Actuary's Department.

Table 1: Estimates of numbers and prevalence of 16 to 59-year-olds who have used any form of cocaine in the last year. 1996 to 2006/07 BCS

Table 2: Estimates of numbers and prevalence of 16 to 59-year-olds who have used any form of cocaine in the last year. 1996 to 2006-07 BCS
Best estimate Lower estimate Higher estimate % of 16 to 24 year olds Statistically significant change 1996 Unweighted base
1996 196 148 259 0.6 - 10,741
1998 382 309 470 1.3 * 9,884
2000 632 547 729 2.0 * 12,771
2001-02 620 551 696 2.0 * 19,973
2002-03 652 588 724 2.1 * 23,357
2003-04 775 705 852 2.5 * 24,197
2004-05 644 585 709 2.0 * 28,206
2005-06 776 712 846 2.4 * 29,631
2006-07 835 767 908 2.6 * 28,975
Notes: 1. The values are derived by adding or subtracting the confidence interval around the 2006-07 sample best estimates. Lower and higher estimates are based on 95 per cent. confidence intervals (calculated using a logit transformation where proportions were less than 0.2 or greater than 0.8). 2. The figures are calculated using population estimates provided by the Government Actuary's Department.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
475 c1096-8W; 201693
Session
2007-08
Subjects
Misuse Cocaine
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk