The study was carried out by the Institute of Child Care Research's youth development study team at Queen's University Belfast, and involved 3,500 young people.
It revealed a gender divide among 11-year-olds, with more boys than girls using cigarettes, drink and drugs. But by the age of 15, half of the girls were smoking compared with 42 per cent of the boys. Excluded young people were most at risk.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety said: "The survey will give us a clear insight into the patterns of drug taking among young people. It is essential to understand the nature of adolescent drug taking."
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