Class A drug use in adults at an all-time high, figures show

Class A drug use is at an all-time high for adults aged 16-59, official statistics published by the Home Office

The figures published this week show 3.7% of all adults – equivalent to 1.3 million people – reported taking a Class A drug in the last year, the highest since records began in 1996.

Additionally, Class A drug use among young adults is at its highest since 2002. Figures show 8.7% of 16-24-year-olds has taken a Class A drug in the last year, which is a 16-year high.

However, the proportion of young adults reporting the use of any drug ever in the lifetime is at an all-time low. Figures reveal 33.9% of 16 to 24-year-olds said they had ever taken them, the lowest ever percentage recorded.

A similar level of adults aged 16 to 59 (34.2%) had taken drugs at some point in their lifetime, according to figures.

Last month it was revealed that the number of young smokers had reached the lowest rate ever.