More than a quarter of school pupils in the North have been offered drugs, and 17 per cent have tried them, a survey has found.
The survey, published by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, revealed 56 per cent of pupils have drunk alcohol, with most drinking for the first time at 12.
The most commonly used drug was cannabis.
Conducted by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, the survey involved more than 6,000 post-primary school children in 62 schools.
Less than half of pupils questioned felt the police treated young people fairly, while 46 per cent said they were satisfied with the way the police did their job. Some 15 per cent of pupils had been arrested or cautioned by the police for vandalism, underage drinking and disorderly behaviour.
