Written question asked by Baroness Tonge (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 22 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 29 November 2000. It was answered by Ian McCartney (Labour) on Wednesday, 29 November 2000 on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

Cabinet Office

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average age of heroin users was in each of the last 10 years. - Includes figures.

Answer: Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average age of heroin users was in each of the last 10 years. [140366] Mr. Ian McCartney: Information is available from the Regional Drug Misuse Databases for drug users presenting to treatment services in England for the first time (or for the first time for six months or more). This shows that the average age of those who reported heroin as their main drug of misuse has been 27 years for each six month period from 1 April--30 September 1996 to 1 April--30 September 1999. Between 1990 and 1996 the average age of addicts notified to the Home Office's Addicts Index for the first time fell by about 12 months to 25.9 years. During the same period the average age of addicts renotified remained fairly constant at between 30.1 and 30.8 years. Typically, female addicts were between 6 and 12 months younger than their male counterparts.

Secondary information