Youth attitudes on drugs - European Commission analytical report

The use of drugs, particularly among young people, is at a historically high level. The European Commission has been studying the drug phenomenon in EU Member States for several years. In 2002 and 2004, surveys were conducted among young people in the then 15 EU Member States. This survey’s objective was to study young EU citizens’ attitudes to – and perceptions about – drugs and related issues, such as:

• past and potential information sources about illicit drug use and the related risks and effects
• perceptions about the availability of specific drugs and self-reported use of cannabis and new psychoactive substances
• perceived health risks associated with occasional and regular use of various licit and illicit substances (i.e. cocaine, ecstasy, cannabis, alcohol and tobacco)
• attitudes towards banning or regulating illicit drugs, new psychoactive substances, alcohol and tobacco
• opinions about the effectiveness of alternative drug policies.