E for Ecstasy by Nicholas Saunders
Appendix 1: Reference Section

23 Young People's Poll, by Harris Research Centre, January 1992

This poll was conducted for the BBC TV programme Reportage. It covered a range of drugs. Interviews took place as respondents entered nightclubs. Only regular club goers were included, i.e. those who said they attended at least once a month. 693 people were interviewed in 11 large cities in UK, 353 male; 340 female. 251 were aged 16-18; 333 aged 19-22; 109 aged 23-25. All social groups were included.

Overall 31% of respondents (men 35%, women 22%) said they had taken Ecstasy (47% in London/South East; 6% in Scotland). 6% thought Ecstasy was safe to use; 5% thought it should be legalised. 29% of 16-22 year-olds and 38% of 23-25 year-olds said they had used Ecstasy. The figure was 46% among married people and cohabitants. 49% said they used Ecstasy frequently and 22% occasionally, and this proportion was constant across all social groups. 33% of respondents said they had taken illegal drugs of some kind and 67% said they had friends who took drugs [this is interpreted by some people to mean that these respondents took drugs themselves but said "friends" so as not to incriminate themselves]. The most popular drug was hash (81%) followed by "LSD/speed/Amphetamine" (35%). [The fact that LSD was lumped together with speed shows the researchers were pretty green.] [A sociologist, Andrew Taylor, who is studying the activities of young people told me he believes that this confirms his observation that the majority of this age group take Ecstasy regardless of social group.]