Heroin and cocaine use up among teens and young adults

The number of drug offences appears to be growing among young people in schools, colleges and universities in England.

Figures from half of the police forces in England show that drug dealing offences in educational settings rose from 39 in 2015 to 104 last year – an increase of 167 per cent.

The data was released following a Freedom of Information request made by the UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT).

Class A drugs

Cases involving Class A drugs, including heroin, cocaine and ecstasy rose by 65 per cent between 2015 and 2019. Offences involving cannabis possession also rose from 371 cases to 544, an increase of 47 per cent.

Surrey Police saw the biggest rise in Class A offences, having recorded 21 cases last year – the most recorded by any of the police forces – up from only three cases in 2015.

West Midlands Police recorded the most cases of drug trafficking in the country. There were twelve cases in 2019 but just one four years earlier.

Nuno Albuquerque, who oversees treatment at UKAT, said: “Our investigation has unearthed every parent’s worst nightmare; that some children are exposed to and involved in drugs while at school.”