Early school-leavers more likely to use Class-A drugs

TEENAGERS who leave school early are up to 14 times more likely to use certain drugs as their peers who stay on to do their Leaving Cert.

They are also up to two and a half times more likely to smoke and up to four times more likely to use cannabis.

The biggest differences showed up in cocaine, magic mushrooms, ecstasy and so-called party pills. Only with alcohol is the difference in usage rate between the two groups negligible.