This document reported on research on young people and drug misuse funded by the Eastern Health Board and the Action South Kildare Partnership. The aim was to collect data on the extent and type of drug use, both legal and illegal, in the secondary-school-going population of Kildare and west Wicklow. This was carried out by giving a self-administered questionnaire to a sample of 1,838 pupils from 29 schools in the area. The mean age of respondents was 14.7 years; 53% were male and 47% were female.

The researchers found that 86% of those surveyed had used at least one drug. The principal drugs were alcohol, cigarettes, cannabis, and solvents, with LSD, amphetamines and magic mushrooms mentioned. Heroin was far less commonly used. Those who reported using cigarettes, cannabis or alcohol were found to have been more likely to have tried other substances, and males had a higher risk of having taken any illegal drugs. Significantly more vocational school than secondary school pupils were found to persist in using ecstasy and amphetamines, and they were also found to have a lower mean age of initiation into heroin use.