A Bitter Pill: The Results
The results of our 'A Bitter Pill Survey' have been released and it's uncovered some staggering statistics.
The results of our 'A Bitter Pill Survey' have been released and it's uncovered some staggering statistics.
Over half of people across the UK think there is ‘no’ or just ‘some’ risk in taking ‘party’ drugs. This flies in the face of the concerns of parents questioned, with drugs the number one worry for them when it comes to their children.
We launched the 'A Bitter Pill Campaign' after we discovered that deaths involving PMA rose from just one in 2011 to 20 in 2012, and that the number of deaths from legal highs had also gone up 80% in the last year. Bauer Media interviewed 2,307 UK individuals to find out the habits, thoughts and knowledge of people across the UK in relation to ‘party’ recreational drugs such as Ecstasy, PMA and legal highs.
The survey revealed that 43% of parents cite drugs as their biggest worry for their children, ranking higher than alcohol (24%), underage and unsafe sex (23%), education (24%), and bullying (36%). This parental worry is backed up by the fact that almost 9 out of 10 parents (88%) admit to being concerned about their children accessing drugs, with 4 out of 10 ‘very concerned’.
This concern from parents may well be justified, as nearly 55% of people said they believed there was ‘no’ or just ‘some’ risk when taking ‘party’ drugs once. This number did reduce when focused on long-term drugs use, but nearly 25% still agreed with the statement.
In addition, a quarter admitted to having tried Ecstasy or MDMA and nearly a fifth to having tried Amphetamine or Methamphetamine. Nearly 40% of people said they had experienced an adverse reaction to drugs, while a fifth of people thought it would be very unlikely that they would be caught when taking drugs.
When asked about the reasons why people take drugs, 37% said ‘enhancing experiences such as dancing or listening to music’, whilst 28% of participants revealed ‘to relieve stress’, 26% to ‘lose inhibitions and be more sociable’, and a fifth said they took them to ‘feel more confident’.
John Pickford, Editor-In-Chief, Bauer Radio News said, “At Bauer, we pride ourselves on fully understanding our audiences and their habits, as demonstrated by this in-depth survey from radio listeners around the UK. The results are very revealing and have highlighted the fact that so many people see taking ‘party’ drugs as low risk, as well as the level of concern from parents over drugs - both key findings as we look to raise awareness of the issues that affect our listeners.”
The survey has already received backing from parents whose families have been affected by ‘party’ drugs, as well Colin Tyrie, a Drug Advisor to the NHS.
Hilary Bass, whose son Gary died after taking an ecstasy tablet containing PMA, told us: “I think the ‘A Bitter Pill survey’ shows without question that this country needs a co-ordinated national approach to drugs education, and that has to come from the Government as a matter of urgency. PMA is a killer being passed off as ecstasy. If my son had been aware of the dangers I am sure he would not have taken ecstasy at all. It is too late to save Gary, but it is not too late to save others.
Diana Harding’s also given the ‘A Bitter Pill survey’ her full support after her 16-year-old daughter Serena died when she took Ecstasy for the first time. “Every time it happens to another family my heart goes out to them so much. It’s clear from the results that education is the key. We need to get a programme of drugs education firmly established in schools.”
Colin Tyrie, a Drug Advisor to the NHS, said, “The statistics from this survey are a vital tool in enabling us to put measures in places to protect people. We very rarely get access to raw information like this from our communities. This helps us target the information and advice we provide more effectively, whilst at the same time highlights the areas which need addressing.”
The photo above shows Sky News' Eamonn Holmes and interviewing Diana Harding who is backing the campaign.