Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2014/15: Drug Use

Footnotes

1. Details of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation can be found on the Scottish Government website: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/SIMD

2. The overwhelming majority of drugs included are illicit, but some drugs which are not controlled, for example nitrous oxide, are also included.

3. From April 2016, the SCJS will revert to a continuous survey of around 6,000 adults each year.

4. While drugs such as valium and temazepan were included in the list of drugs asked about in the questionnaire, the question wording emphasised that only details of drugs not given on prescription were of interest.

5. The SCJS does not collect details of whether amphetamine was prepared for injection or in powdered form. All self-reported amphetamine use is included in Class B in the analysis that follows. In contrast, amphetamines were incorrectly included in Class A and Class B in the 2012/13 SCJS drug use report. The impact of this is highlighted in an erratum note now attached to that publication.

6. These substances have been included in the overall figures relating to illicit drugs, as in previous sweeps of the SCJS.

7. 'New drugs' have been excluded from the prevalence figures relating to illicit drugs presented in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 includes 'new drugs' in the analysis of the experiences of adults reporting drug use in Scotland.

8. While the analysis for the SCJS main findings report was mainly conducted in SAS and statistical significance assessed there used the SCJS Statistical Testing Tool, the analysis for the self-completion reports utilised related functionality in SPSS to assess for statistical significance and report significance consistently at the 95% level.

9. GSS (2014) Communicating Uncertainty and Change: Guidance for official statistics producers- https://gss.civilservice.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Communicating-uncertainty-and-change-v1.pdf

10. Note that these figures exclude all new drugs included in each SCJS.

11. With regards to the self-completion module on drugs, the methodology and time frame of the CSEW 2014/15 were largely similar to the SCJS 2014/15 although there were slight differences in the specific drugs that respondents were asked about. The prevalence figures for drug use in the last year and ever in England and Wales in are based on the following drugs: Amphetamines, Amyl nitrite, Anabolic steroids, Cannabis, Powder cocaine, Crack cocaine, Ecstasy, Heroin, Ketamine, Khat, LSD, Magic mushrooms, Mephedrone, Methadone, Methamphetamine, Tranquillisers, unknown pills or powders, something unknown smoked and any other drug. For a user guide for the Home Office (2015) Drug Misuse report see: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447516/drug-misuse-user-guide.pdf

12. Including all drugs asked about in the SCJS 2014/15 and the CSEW 2014/15.

13. Problem drug use is defined as the problematic use of opiates (including illicit and prescribed methadone use) and/or the illicit use of benzodiazepines and implies routine and prolonged use as opposed to recreational and occasional drug use.

14. The SCJS does not collect details of whether amphetamine was prepared for injection or in powdered form. All self-reported amphetamine use is included in Class B in the analysis that follows. In contrast, amphetamines were incorrectly included in Class A and Class B in the 2012/13 SCJS drug use report. The impact of this is highlighted in an erratum note now attached to that publication.

15. Had ketamine not moved from class C to class B, class C use in 2014/15 would have been 0.6% and the change from 1.0% in 2012/13 would still have been significant.

16. The bars for 'new' drugs (salvia divinorum and nitrous oxide), which are excluded from the overall analysis in the report, are shaded light blue.

17. A question about mephedrone was introduced into the survey for the first time in 2010/11.

18. Significant at the p < 0.05 level.

19. Base: adults aged 16 and over ( SCJS sweeps 2008/09: 16-24 1,000, 25-44 3,550, 45-59 2,910, 60+ 3,500; 2009/10: 16-24 1,160, 25-44 4,110, 45-59 3,550, 60+ 4,590; 2010/11: 16-24 970, 25-44 3,300, 45-59 2,920, 60+ 3,790; 2012/13 16-24 860, 25-44 3,100, 45-59 2,730, 60+ 3,540; 2014/15 16-24 830, 25-44 3010, 45-59 2620, 60+ 3500)

20. The Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey ( SALSUS) is a large-scale survey of 13 and 15-year-old school pupils in Scotland on their experiences of drinking alcohol, smoking and drug taking as well as asking wider questions on how and where leisure time is spent: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Research/by-topic/health-community-care/social-research/SALSUS

21. Significant at the p < 0.05 level.

22. Details of the National Statistics socioeconomic classification operational categories can be found on the ONS website: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/classifications/current-standard-classifications/soc2010/soc2010-volume-3-ns-sec--rebased-on-soc2010--user-manual/index.html

23. Details of the Scottish Government Urban / Rural Classification can be found on the Scottish Government website: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/About/Methodology/UrbanRuralClassification

24. A victim is defined as a respondent who reported crimes or offences in the main questionnaire (excludes sexual offences and threats) which are within the scope of the survey, took place in Scotland and occurred within the reference period.

25. Details of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation can be found on the Scottish Government website: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/SIMD

26. Base sizes are for all socioeconomic groups (Management & Professional: 2,110; Intermediate: 1,380; Routine and Manual: 2,240; Never Worked & Long Term Unemployed: 4,180), housing tenure groups (Owner occupier: 6,350; Social rented: 2,250; Private Rented: 1,200), urban/rural location (Urban: 8,010; Rural: 1,970), victim status (Non-Victim: 8,580; Victim: 1,400), SIMD index (15% most: 1,410; All other areas: 8,560), fear of crime (Safe: 7,360; Unsafe: 2,540), disability (Yes: 2,080; No: 7,900).

27. Significant at the p < 0.05 level.

28. Base: Adults aged 16 and over - SCJS sweeps 2008/09 (16-24: 1,000; 25-44: 3,550), 2009/10 (16-24: 1,160; 25-44: 4,110), 2010/11 (16-24: 970; 25-44: 3,300) 2012/13 (16-24: 860; 25-44: 3,100), 2014/15 (16-24: 830; 25-44: 3010)

29. Significant at the p < 0.05 level.

30. Significant at the p < 0.05 level.

31. Due to small base sizes it was not possible to test whether variations were statistically significant.

32. Significant at the p<0.05 level.

33. The Scottish Household Survey is a continuous survey based on a sample of the general population in private residences in Scotland.

34. Not classified includes poppers and glues, solvents, gas or aerosols.

35. New drugs include salvia divinorum and nitrous oxide.

36. Respondents were asked whether they had taken legal highs in a generic question - with legal highs defined as: " a range of substances that are described as 'legal highs', 'designer drugs', or 'new drugs''…substances which you take to get a 'high' and are not illegal to purchase (but are not prescribed by a doctor)".