Cocaine, methadone and painkiller abuse among children is a growing issue for accident and emergency departments, according to the latest NHS statistics.
Figures obtained by CYP Now and collated by the Department of Health show these drug types are responsible for increasing numbers of overdoses in the past five years.
The number of children aged 17 or under who were treated in hospital for cocaine poisoning has increased 140 per cent between 2003/04 and last year from 25 cases to 60.
Over the same period the number of codeine and morphine-based painkiller drug overdoses have risen 49 per cent and methadone overdoses have gone up by 47 per cent.
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