Stats and data about drug and alcohol from the UK. This time including khat, young people in treatment for cannabis, costs to employers of alcohol harm, drunk and drugged driving, New Psychoactive Substances, and what young people think are the most effective ways of dealing with drug harms

1. 10 things about
alcohol and other
drugs you may have
missed
30 June 2014
Andrew Brown
Director of Policy, Influence and Engagement
DrugScope
@andrewbrown365

2. The amount of khat that was being imported to the
UK every week from Kenya
Source: http://www.worldpress.org/Africa/4013.cfm
80 tons
bringing in $470,000
per consignment
Photo by Flickr user eesti

3. Numbers of under 18s in treatment
for cannabis as primary substance
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
Source: http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/annualypstatistics2012-13-final[0].pdf
50%
increase
over the
period

4. Issues
surrounding
alcohol cost
employers with
200 staff around
£38,000 a year
through absence
and performance
issues
Source: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1144882/unclear-drug-alcohol-policies-problematic-warn-experts
Photo by Flickr user Annie Mole

5. Defendants proceeded against at magistrate
courts and found guilty at all courts for
drink-driving offences, England and Wales,
2009 to 2013
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Proceeded against Found guilty
Includes the following offences under the
Road Traffic Act 1988: Driving or
attempting to drive a mechanically
propelled vehicle while unfit to drive
through drink or drugs—drink; Being in
charge of mechanically propelled vehicle
while unfit to drive through drink or
drugs—Drink; Driving or attempting to
drive a motor vehicle while having a breath,
blood or urine alcohol concentration in
excess of the prescribed limit; In charge of a
motor vehicle while having a breath, blood
or urine alcohol concentration in excess of
the prescribed limit; Failing without
reasonable excuse to provide a specimen of
breath for a preliminary test; Driving or
attempting to drive a motor vehicle and
failing to without a reasonable excuse
provide a specimen for a laboratory test or
two specimens for analysis of breath; In
charge of a motor vehicle and failing
without reasonable excuse to provide a
specimen for a laboratory test or two
specimens for analysis of breath; Failing to
allow specimen of blood to be subjected to
laboratory test: (a) driving or attempting to
drive, (b) all other cases.
Source: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2014-06-24a.200852.h

6. Typical odds ratios for injury or death as a
result of a car crash while under the influence
of alcohol, medicinal or recreational drugs
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Source: Drug use, impaired driving and traffic accidents, second edition EMCDDA, Lisbon, June 2014

7. Number of positive checks for
drunk drivers per 1,000 inhabitants
(2009)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
CY SI FR BE PL HU PT FI EL IE ES LV SE DK RO GB IL SK LT NO EE IT
Source: Drink Driving: Towards Zero Tolerance, European Transport Safety Council (2012)
NB – BAC limits for UK higher
than other countries and
number of roadside tests
lower than other counties
12% of those tested in UK
above legal limit against a
3.6% average

8. Proportion of population able to name
the correct alcohol level allowed for
driving
3
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
CZ FI LU SK DE LV LT BG PL IE ES UK NL CY
Source: EU citizens’ attitudes towards alcohol, Eurobarometer 2010

9. 495,000
The estimated number of 15 – 24
year olds in the UK who took a
New Psychoactive Substance
(NPS) last year
Source: Young people and drugs - Flash Eurobarometer 401 - Fieldwork: 03–23/06/2014

10. What do young people (15-24 years)
think we should do about NPS
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Introduce regulation
Ban - if risk to health
Ban under any circumstances
Do nothing
Other
Don't Know
EU UK
Source: Young people and drugs - Flash Eurobarometer 401 - Fieldwork: 03–23/06/2014

11. Changes in UK young people’s (15-24
years) perceptions on what is effective
in reducing drug harms
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Information and prevention
Treatment
Tough measures against drug dealers
Making drugs legal
Reducing poverty and unemployment
Tough measures against drug users
Diversionary activities for young people
2010 2014
Source: Young people and drugs - Flash Eurobarometer 401 (2014) and 330 (2010)