Across England in 2008/09 there were a total of 17,169 admissions fordrug poisoning in children under 18 compared with 18,383 the previousyear - a fall of 6.6 per cent. The figure represents the lowest numberof drug poisoning admissions since 2004/05 when there were 16,103admissions.
Elliot Elam, spokesman for Addaction, said the figures do not take intoaccount the long-term damage that can be caused through drug habits. "Adrug doesn't have to poison someone for it to make people ill in abiological way - they can cause immeasurable problems," he said.
"It is great to see the figure come down but we don't want to give theimpression the problem has gone away or reduced in any way."
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