Rotherham Children Exhibit Higher Cannabis Use and Vaping Rates

A survey has revealed that children in Rotherham consume cannabis and vape at levels exceeding the national average for their age group. The research, conducted by Rotherham Council, involved all 16 secondary schools within the town, where students were asked about the frequency of their substance use. Over 7,000 students from Year 7 (ages 11 to 12) and Year 10 (ages 14 to 15) were eligible to participate, with 4,641 students ultimately submitting responses to the survey. The findings indicated a substantial increase in vaping since the previous iteration of the survey, conducted in 2017. The Local Democracy Reporting Service stated that the research also encompassed home-educated children and students attending pupil referral units. Among the 3,371 students who responded to an inquiry about drug experimentation, 10% reported having tried drugs, a figure that included 90 Year 7 pupils. Solvents, cocaine, and magic mushrooms were identified as the most frequently used substances. A distinct question was posed to students regarding their use of cannabis. Over one-third of the 360 individuals who answered reported cannabis use at least once within the preceding 30 days, contrasting with a national figure of 10% among respondents. Furthermore, the survey revealed that 33% of respondents acknowledged vaping on a minimum of three occasions in the past 30 days, a frequency categorized as “regular use.” This percentage substantially surpasses the 10% national average for regular vaping among young people, as cited in the report. The data further indicates a marked rise in regular vaping since 2017, particularly among Year 10 students. In 2017, 83 Year 10 students reported regular vaping, a number that has almost doubled to 162 by 2024. Participants were also queried about their consumption of an alcoholic drink (defined as a full drink, not merely a sip); out of 3,387 student responses, 38.6% (1,307) affirmed having done so. Among the 285 students who answered questions concerning smoking, 23% indicated regular smoking, which was characterized as occurring at least three times within the last 30 days. The report cites a national average of only 3%. Rotherham Council and the advocacy organization Action on Smoking and Health have been contacted for their perspectives on these findings. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.