Children 'as young as six' have tried cannabis

Children as young as six have tried soft drugs while some 14-year-olds have used heroin, according to a report released yesterday.

Children as young as six have tried soft drugs while some 14-year-olds have used heroin, according to a report released yesterday.

The report, Young People's Drug Taking in Manchester, was compiled by the charity Lifeline, which interviewed medical, education and social services experts.

The report said: "The falling age of onset of drugs was a concern, some interviewees were aware of youngsters as young as six using cannabis."

It also revealed that a small number of 14-year-olds, and sometimes younger, had taken heroin, although this was "relatively rare. However, some interviewees were concerned that there is a significant minority of young people who begin heroin use between the ages of 15 and 18."

The report by the Manchester-based drugs charity challenges theories that young people are ensnared by pushers at the school gates. Experts suggest they are more likely to obtain drugs from their own home, family or friends.