Substance use

Data is derived from the  Annual Health and Wellbeing Census Scotland 2021/22 and relate to Glasgow City local authority. All children and young people from P5 to S6 are invited to take part in the questionnaire, with age-appropriate questionnaires for each pupil stage.

Smoking/e-cigarettes/vaping

The majority of S4 pupils surveyed (80%) had never smoked, or vaped (69%). Among those that had ever smoked or vaped, pupils were more likely to have tried vaping (28%) compared to smoking (20%). 

Pupils who used e-cigarettes or vapes reportedly used them more frequently than those who smoked cigarettes: 7% of pupils used vapes or e-cigarettes and 3% of pupils smoked at least one cigarette per week. 

Alcohol

More than two-thirds (71%) of pupils in S2 and S4 surveyed reported that they ‘never drink alcohol now’. Of those who drink, the most common response was that they drink a few times a year (17%), followed by about once a month (4%).

Most S4 (28%) pupils got their alcohol from home (either with or without permission), 18% from a relative and 21% preferred not to say where they got their alcohol from.

Drugs

Less than one in ten (7%) of S4 pupils said they had taken illegal drugs, drugs formally known as 'legal highs', solvents, or prescription drugs not prescribed to them. 

Of those who had taken drugs in the last month, the most common types of drugs used were cannabis (100%), cocaine (58%), ecstasy (47%), and 'unknown white powders' (47%).

In terms of frequency of use, 22% of pupils had reportedly only taken drugs once, 22% took drugs more than once or twice a month, and 20% took drugs at least once a week or more. 

Notes

This page was last updated in March 2025.