A survey of young people, described to the General Assembly as "one of the largest ever attempted in Ireland", established that churchgoing young people are less likely to take illegal drugs.
The Rev Brian Boyd told the assembly that while 46 per cent of 16-year-olds in the North had tried illegal drugs, just 28 per cent of those who had "a loose involvement" with the church did so while the figure for those who attended church regularly was 7 per cent.
"On a more negative note it is sad to see how many of our young folk are making use of alcohol even from the age of 11. Even more sad is that almost 80 per cent of those 11- to 13-year-olds who drink get their alcohol from their parents or relatives," he said.
Last year the Church's Alcohol and Drug Education Committee conducted a survey of young people at 42 churches in 19 presbyteries throughout Ireland.
Those who responded were in three age bands: 470 between 11 and 13; 392 between 14 and 15; and 172 between 16 and 17.
Of the respondents, 72 per cent were regular (twice a month) churchgoers. Eleven per cent attended five or six times a year. Seventy-four per cent of 11- to 13-year-olds received their first drink in the home; 60 per cent were given it by parents.
For 15- to 16-year-olds the figure was 53 per cent for receiving their first drink at home (40 per cent from parents), while for 16- to 17-year-olds just 41 per cent drank for the first time at home (30 per cent from parents). One-third of this cohort drank first in a bar/club or at an "outdoor venue".
In all age groups the most regular drink was beer, followed by wine.
Just 2 per cent of 11- to 13-year-olds had taken illegal drugs. For 14- to 15-year-olds the figure was 9 per cent; for 16- to 17-year-olds it was 12 per cent.
About 40 per cent of the 14- to 15-year-olds first used drugs given to them by friends. It was felt the remaining 60 per cent may have received them from strangers or taken them from the family medicine cabinet.
Of the 16- to 17-year-olds, 95 per cent of those who had taken drugs had received them from friends, with 5 per cent getting them from strangers. Thirty-eight per cent had received drugs at private functions, 29 per cent received them in clubs or pubs, and 28 per cent at home or at school. By far the most popular drug used by the young people was cannabis.
Just 18 per cent of 11- to 13-year-olds had tried smoking cigarettes, with 52 per cent supplied by parents (24 per cent by friends). Thirty-seven per cent of 14- to 15-year-olds had smoked, 26 per cent supplied by parents (37 per cent by friends); 35 per cent of 16- to 17-year-olds had smoked, 77 per cent supplied by friends (none supplied by parents).
