Following the Report of the Working Party on Drug Abuse it was decided to examine the nature and extent of the drug problem in relation to young people in Ireland. From 1972-1974 a study was carried out among medical students in University College Dublin. Pre coded questionnaires were distributed and 753 questionnaire were analysed. The results show that 28.8% of the study population smoked tobacco, male students smoked significantly more than females, three quarters of the students drank alcohol regularly, and men generally drank more frequently and in greater quantities than women. Over half of the students had been offered drugs, mainly cannabis of some form. One third had tried cannabis on one occasion and 11% of the sample subsequently used drugs. While the number of students who continued to use drugs was small, 21% of that group used drugs at least once per week.