Drug Use Among Young People

This topic area covers statistics and information relating to substance use among young people in Hull including local strategic need and service provision. Further information relating to Drug Use Among Adults is given under Lifestyle Factors within Adults. Substance use information has been collected within Hull’s Health and Wellbeing Surveys and full reports are available under Surveys within Tools and Resources.

This page contains information from the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities’ Fingertips. Information is taken ‘live’ from the site so uses the latest available data from Fingertips and displays it on this page. As a result, some comments on this page may relate to an earlier period of time until this page is next updated (see review dates at the end of this page).

Headlines

• Different illicit drugs and prescribed medication have different effects on physical and mental health, and some are highly addictive. Substance use can have a serious impact not just on the individual, but also their family and friends, and there is a detrimental effect on the entire community.
• Among people aged 15-64 years, it is estimated that there are around twice as many opiate and/or crack users in Hull compared to England. Mortality rates from drug use are also higher in Hull being around 50% higher than England.
• Among year 7 and 8 secondary school pupils (aged 11-13 years), fewer than 5% had been offered or encouraged to use drugs in the last three months. Just under one in ten of year 9 pupils (aged 13-14 years) had also been offered or encouraged to use drugs in the last three months but this increased to just under 20% among year 10 and 11 pupils (aged 14-16 years).
• Fewer than 5% of year 7 and 8 pupils had ever used or tried drugs. Around 6% of year 9 pupils, 17% of year 10 and 21% of year 11 pupils, although the percentages were higher for females compared to males with the exception of year 7 children.
• Among pupils in school years 9 to 11, cannabis was by far the most common drug that they reported having used, with 15% of girls and 10% of boys stating they had used it at some point including 5.5% of girls and 5.2% of boys having done so in the last four weeks. The most commonly used drug after cannabis was New Psychoactive Substances used by 3% of girls and almost 4% of boys. A further 1% or more of pupils also reported using solvents (boys and girls), LSD (boys), speed and other amphetamines (boys), ecstasy (boys), cocaine (boys and girls) and anabolic steroids (boys).
• Among young people aged 15 to 24 years in Hull, there were an average of 40 hospital admissions for substance use per year for the three year period 2018/19 to 2020/21. The directly standardised admission rate was 114 per 100,000 population which was 40% higher than England (81 per 100,000 population) over the same three year period.

The Population Affected – Why Is It Important?

Different illicit drugs and prescribed medication have different effects on physical and mental health, and some are highly addictive. From the NHS, the health risks for illicit drugs and substance use include death from an overdose, lung disease from smoking drugs, HIV or viral hepatitis, serious infections in the body and bloodstream, fertility problems, damage to veins and body tissue through injecting drugs, overheating and dehydration, kidney problems, schizophrenia, hallucinatory states, insomnia, fits, agitation, aggression, confusion, paranoia, psychosis, memory problems, depression, anxiety and lack of concentration. It can also be dangerous to drive after taking drugs, increasing the risk of an accident.

Substance use can have a serious impact not just on the individual, but also their family and friends who may require considerable support. There also can be a detrimental effect on the entire community. Individuals dependent on opioids and/or crack cocaine are responsible for an estimated 45% of acquisitive crime (shoplifting, burglary, vehicle crime and robbery).

The Hull Picture

From the local Young People Health and Wellbeing Survey conducted in 2016, fewer than 5% of secondary school pupils year 7 and 8 (aged 11-12 and 12-13 years) had been offered or encouraged to use drugs in the last three months. Just under one in ten of year 9 pupils had also been offered or encouraged to use drugs in the last three months but this increased to just under 20% among year 10 and 11 pupils. Among older pupils, slightly more females had been offered or encouraged to use drugs recently compared to males.

There was a slight difference among young people based on where they lived. The age-adjusted percentage was highest among young people living in the most deprived fifth of areas of Hull (18.1%) falling to 14.2% and 12.4% for the second most deprived and middle fifths respectively, before increasing for young people living in the second least deprived fifth (16.0%) and least deprived fifth (14.8%) of areas of Hull.

Young people were also asked if they had ever used or tried drugs, as well as the type of drug they had used or tried, and when they had last used or tried them. Fewer than 5% of year 7 and 8 pupils had ever used or tried drugs. Around 6% of year 9 pupils, 17% of year 10 and 21% of year 11 pupils, although the percentages were higher for females compared to males with the exception of year 7 children.

Young people living in the most deprived areas of Hull were more likely to have ever used or tried drugs being 18.6% among young people living in the most deprived fifth of areas of Hull falling to 16.1% among those living in the second most deprived fifth of areas of Hull. The percentages further fell consistently across the other three groups but were more similar at 12.9%, 12.3% and 12.0% for the middle, second least and least deprived fifths of areas of Hull respectively.

Among pupils in school years 9 to 11, cannabis was by far the most common drug that they reported having used, with 15% of girls and 10% of boys stating they had used it at some point including 5.5% of girls and 5.2% of boys having done so in the last four weeks.

The most commonly used drug after cannabis was New Psychoactive Substances used by 3% of girls and almost 4% of boys. These were terms ‘legal highs’ in the questionnaire as this is what they were known as at the time, but they are no longer legal and are now correctly termed as New Psychoactive Substances. A further 1% or more of pupils also reported using solvents (boys and girls), LSD (boys), speed and other amphetamines (boys), ecstasy (boys), cocaine (boys and girls) and anabolic steroids (boys).

The Office for Health Improvement & Disparities’ Fingertips provides information on hospital admissions due to substance use among young people aged 15-24 years. The rate in Hull is 40% higher than England for the three year period 2018/19-2020/21 with a directly standardised rate of 114 per 100,000 population in Hull compared to 81 per 100,000 population for England (standardised to the European Standard Population).

Admissions increased between 2008/09-2010/11 and 2013/14-2015/16, but have since remained relatively constant before falling between 2017/18-2019/20 to 2018/19-2020/21. There were 120 admissions in total over the most recent three year period equating to an average of 40 admissions per year.

The rate in 2018/19-2020/21 is the lowest it has been in Hull since 2009/10-2011/12.

Strategic Need and Service Provision

The Government’s 10-year Drugs Plan has three overarching aims to (1) Break drug supply chains, (2) Deliver world-class treatment and recovery services and (3) Achieve a shift in the demand for recreational drugs.

The 10-Year Drugs Plan expects to reverse the rising trend in drug use, prevent drug deaths and expand treatment capacity. The document recognises the need to support young people and families most at risk of substance use and commits to invest in a range of programmes that provide early, targeted and specialist support to children, young people and families. The Government also commits to invest in the education and resilience of children and young people to help level up the whole country, and acknowledges that the most effective and sustainable approach to reducing harm is building resilience of young people through giving them a good start in life, the best education possible and keeping them safe, well and happy.

Hull’s Alcohol and Drugs Partnership Strategy 2022-25 provides key priorities and recommendations for preventing alcohol related harm. The Strategy has six priorities:

1. Developing a Prevention and Early Intervention approach across the partnership;
2. Implement a more targeted approach to support at-risk groups;
3. Improving services to effectively support young people and adults with co-existing mental illness and substance use, and/or with multiple and complex needs;
4. Tackling alcohol/drug related stigma to ensure people have equitable access to services and resources.;
5. Developing community assets to achieve and sustain recovery; and
6. Reducing the risks associated with alcohol/drug use by utilising a harm reduction approach.

It is necessary that public health, health providers, schools and those working with young people and families, community workers, and communities work together to maximise opportunities to prevent and identify alcohol/drug use among children, young people and families, and offer more wrap-around support to prevent rapid escalation of problems associated with substance use.

It is recognised that more work needs to be done around increasing local awareness and understanding of alcohol and drug related harm, providing age appropriate and accurate advice and harm reduction information to children and young people, and commissioning universal, targeted and specialist substance treatment services that meet the needs of children and young people, especially of groups at risk.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence within the guidelines, a list of children and young people considered at risk of harm from drug use.

Further information is available in the Hull Alcohol and Drugs Partnership Strategy.

Social return on investment tools for drugs and alcohol make the case of investing in treatment programs to reduce overall crime and anti-social behaviour to reduce costs to society and the economy. It is estimated that over 323,447 crimes are committed before drug treatment entry. The main three crimes recorded for people in drug treatment are shoplifting (50%), drug offences (29%) and begging (7%) with an estimated 16% reduction in criminal activity and approximately 50,848 crimes prevented after starting treatment. The gross benefit of drug treatment in 2017/18 in Hull was estimated to be over £16,712,400.

ReFresh is a young people’s drug and alcohol service providing confidential support for young people up to the age of 18 who live, study or work in Hull. ReFresh can help with family relationships, secure somewhere stable to live, get support with school, college or work, and help young people make positive use of their time. They offer a space for:

• young people to talk with someone to listen to them;
• providing advice and information on reducing consumption of alcohol and substances and using safely;
• providing health checks including sexual health, safer injecting, and testing and treatment for blood borne viruses;
• helping to deal with cravings, controlling tension and reducing anxiety;
• helping with emotional and mental health; and
• helping improve family relationships.

Young people can contact ReFresh through email and phone as well as visiting in person. Parents and carers can also seek advice and support if they are concerned about a young person.

Resources

Local Young People Health and Wellbeing Surveys

The Office for Health Improvement & Disparities’ Fingertips: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/

Government’s 2017 Drug Strategy. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/628148/Drug_strategy_2017.PDF

UK Government. From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/from-harm-to-hope-a-10-year-drugs-plan-to-cut-crime-and-save-lives/from-harm-to-hope-a-10-year-drugs-plan-to-cut-crime-and-save-lives

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Drug misuse prevention: targeted interventions. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng64/chapter/recommendations

Hull City Council. Drug and Alcohol Support. https://www.hull.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/public-health/drug-and-alcohol-support

Hull City Council. Hull Alcohol and Drugs Strategy 2022-25. https://www.hull.gov.uk/sites/hull/files/media/Editor%20-%20Public%20health/Hull%20Alcohol%20and%20Drugs%20Strategy%202022-2025.pdf

Hull ReFresh. Hull’s young people drug and alcohol service. https://www.refreshhull.org.uk/

Updates

This page was last updated / checked on 23 May 2023.

This page is due to be updated / checked in January 2024.