Shocking levels of drug use revealed in Brighton and Hove report (From The Argus)
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Shocking levels of drug use revealed in Brighton and Hove report
6:00pm Sunday 29th April 2012 in News By Siobhan Ryan, Health Reporter
A shocking picture of alcohol and drug taking amongst Sussex children has been revealed in a new report.
In Brighton and Hove, 13% of children and young people reported using drugs.
The national average is 4%.
A total of 9% of the city’s young people smoke compared to a national average of 4%.
And there were 37 hospital admissions for 15-24 year olds due to substance misuse, at a rate of 85.6 per 100,000 of the population. The national average is 63.5 per 100,000 people.
Health and council bosses say they are taking the results extremely seriously.
About one in five of the county’s population is under the age of 20.
The figures also cover a wide range of subjects including MMR vaccination rates, smoking and obesity. The high number of children admitted to hospital in Brighton and Hove with drink problems has been concerning the city’s leaders for several years.
The results of the recent big alcohol debate in the city are still being digested as part of long-term plans to target its drinking culture among both adults and children and bring cases of alcohol-related disease and hospital admissions down.
The city’s top doctor, Tom Scanlon, has backed proposals for a minimum price on alcohol, saying it could help prevent drink from being so easily accessible.
The city also has poorer MMR take-up rates than East and West Sussex, an issue reflected in the high number of measles cases the city has been experiencing this year.
However, the figures show an average for East and West Sussex rather than looking at individual areas. Eastbourne and Hastings, for example, are known to have high drinking and smoking levels among its teenagers compared to more affluent areas, while more deprived wards in Worthing, Adur and Arun districts also have higher than average rates.
The information compiled is taken from a mixture of local public health, council reports and surveys along with national research.
A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said: “Together with our NHS and police partners, we take this issue seriously and run projects which help to prevent harm and warn about health dangers through early intervention initiatives.
“We work with schools and early years providers through the healthy settings programme to promote whole school approaches to health and wellbeing.
“Schools are supported to understand the particular health needs of the children and young people in our city and to provide interventions which support young people to avoid and manage risk effectively.
“Together with our NHS partners, the council runs a groundbreaking agreement to provide follow-up treatment to young people who end up in A&E because of alcohol.
“Young people that have engaged with the service claim it has saved their lives."
Comments(18)
antonyA
says...
6:30pm Sun 29 Apr 12
davyboy
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6:50pm Sun 29 Apr 12
george smith
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7:34pm Sun 29 Apr 12
davyboy wrote:I would hazard a guess that the parents have the odd recreational joint as well
why is anyone surprised, when many parents don't even know what their children are up to!this is why we have so many young muggers and shoplifters, trying to get money for their habits.
Hove Actually
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8:08pm Sun 29 Apr 12
and never mind all this PC speak about "together with our partners" just allow the police to get on with enforcing the law, as it stands
antonyA
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10:51pm Sun 29 Apr 12
Roundbill
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1:08am Mon 30 Apr 12
antonyA wrote:Were you stoned when you typed that?
Doesnt the Green administration condone the use of canibis and legalization???
Wooders22
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2:30am Mon 30 Apr 12
ps,speed , it's happens tons of people do it , i honestly think those who are shocked live on a different planet and their views on drugs are so out of touch it amazing, sure its not a good thing to be doing and i have grown out of it now even stopped drinking same with some pals ,some still do a little bit here and there but mainly just smoke weed, i expect its the same all round the world.
Wooders22
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3:58am Mon 30 Apr 12
Wooders22 wrote:By the way i also stopped smoking, i just wanted to make it clear im just a normal guy who does all the normal things in life, play football, work, never signed on the dole, the image most people get when they think of somebody doing drugs is so false, if i could go back and not do drugs/smoke/drink i would at the end of the day its not on par of being naturally high on life.
I have done drugs its the normal thing ,weed,pills,coke,tri
ps,speed , it's happens tons of people do it , i honestly think those who are shocked live on a different planet and their views on drugs are so out of touch it amazing, sure its not a good thing to be doing and i have grown out of it now even stopped drinking same with some pals ,some still do a little bit here and there but mainly just smoke weed, i expect its the same all round the world.
Wooders22
says...
3:58am Mon 30 Apr 12
Wooders22 wrote:By the way i also stopped smoking, i just wanted to make it clear im just a normal guy who does all the normal things in life, play football, work, never signed on the dole, the image most people get when they think of somebody doing drugs is so false, if i could go back and not do drugs/smoke/drink i would at the end of the day its not on par of being naturally high on life.
I have done drugs its the normal thing ,weed,pills,coke,tri
ps,speed , it's happens tons of people do it , i honestly think those who are shocked live on a different planet and their views on drugs are so out of touch it amazing, sure its not a good thing to be doing and i have grown out of it now even stopped drinking same with some pals ,some still do a little bit here and there but mainly just smoke weed, i expect its the same all round the world.
Old Ladys Gin
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7:34am Mon 30 Apr 12
Joshiman
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8:15am Mon 30 Apr 12
Morpheus
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9:07am Mon 30 Apr 12
FreddyF
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10:25am Mon 30 Apr 12
Perhaps in Brighton they sometimes use different drugs. That's all.
Goldenwight
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11:29am Mon 30 Apr 12
localboy78
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1:47pm Mon 30 Apr 12
planetpmc
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5:35am Tue 1 May 12
Old Ale Man
says...
5:51am Tue 1 May 12
antonyA wrote:Absolutly condoned antonyA.
Doesnt the Green administration condone the use of canibis and legalization???
When councellor Ben Duncan the Brighton Green party spokesman for home affairs was asked on facebook if he smoked weed, his reply was and I quote, only when when I'm murdering, raping and looting.
What sort of irrisponsible remark is that to make by someone in his position??
Not very tacktful is it??
Goes to show those of you that voted Green and those of you that could not be bothered to go out and vote, it's YOU that have put real bad head cases the like of cll'r Ben Duncan in charge of the Asylumn.
rolivan says...
6:18pm Sun 29 Apr 12