Drugs: The facts

The chart below brings together drugs data from various sources. Figures for England and Wales and for Scotland are collated separately with the number for England and Wales given first. The numbers of drug users are best estimates calculated from the findings of annual crime surveys. As yet, there are no officially published figures for deaths caused by mephedrone.

DRUGS FACTS AND FIGURES
Drug Type	Class	More details	Number of users	Deaths**	Street value
*Proportion of 16-59-year-olds in Scotland reported to have used drug in the past year.
**Some deaths may have involved more than one drug.
Cocaine	A	Stimulant made from coca leaves. Increases alertness and confidence but raises heart rate and blood pressure.	980,000 3.7%*	235 79	£42/g
Crack	A	Cocaine mixed with baking soda to form smokeable lumps. Gives intense high but also causes paranoia and agression.	47,000 0.4%*		£10 per rock
Ecstasy	A	Causes feelings of well-being but also anxiety and high body temperature.	586,000 3.2%*	44 7	£2.30 per pill
Heroin	A	Sedative made from opium poppy. Can be smoked or injected. Users feel lethargic and content but withdrawal produces unpleasant symptoms.	29,000 0.5%*	897 336	£49/g
LSD	A	Man-made hallucinogenic drug. Effects include out of body experiences lasting several hours. A "bad trip" can cause anxiety.	80,000 0.6%*
Mushrooms	A	Hallucinogenic mushrooms growing wild. Users may experience giggling fits, hallucinations and altered perception.	173,000 0.9%*
Amphetamines	A	Man-made drugs which increase heart rate and alertness. Users may also feel paranoid. Newer form crystal meth is very addictive.	400,000 2.2%*	99 12	£9/g
Cannabis	B	The cannabis sativa plant or resin from it. Cannabis is a relaxant but stronger forms can also cause hallucinations and panic attacks.	2,546,000 11%*	19 n/a	Resin £51/oz Herbal £89/oz
Mephedrone	B	Stimulant closely chemically related to amphetamines like ecstasy and cocaine and producing similar experience. Can cause palpitations, nausea and vomiting.	n/a	n/a	£10- 15/g
Class A	A		1,189,000 5.2%*
Any drug			3,240,000 12.6%*	2,928 574