Last year drug use among young adults aged 16 to 24
The most recent (2016) survey of Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among Young People (SDD) 3 also showed an increase in the proportion of 11 to 15 year olds who had taken any drug (excluding NPS) in the last year (from 10.3% in 2014 to 14.8% in 2016). Although cannabis was the most commonly used drug among 11 to 15 year olds (with 7.9% reporting that they had used it in the last year), there was also an increase in the proportion reporting Class A drug use, from 2.0% in 2014 to 3.2% in 2016. While the CSEW shows a general increase in Class A drug use for 16 to 24 year olds since 2011/12, Class A drug use among 11 to 15 year olds in the SDD has only recently increased. However, further SDD results are needed to confirm that this increase is genuine.
Cannabis
Among younger adults aged 16 to 24, cannabis was also the most commonly used drug in the 2017/18 CSEW, with 16.7 per cent having used it in the last year (around one million young adults).
There was no significant change from the 2016/17 and 2007/08 estimates (16.4% and 17.9% respectively), but this was lower than in 1996 (25.8%) (see Appendix Table 1.02 for detailed figures).
For complete report https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/729249/drug-misuse-2018-hosb1418.pdf