The study of 1,491 nine to 11-year-olds by children's health education charity Life Education found 28 per cent of 10-year-olds, specifically, think the drug is legal. More than half of all children quizzed could name four or more illegal drugs.
The survey found cocaine was the most widely known drug with 71 per cent of children naming it, compared with 64 per cent naming cannabis.
A spokesman for drug information charity DrugScope said children got information from a range of sources such as soap operas or in the playground.
"Not all of these sources will provide accurate information, as the results of this survey seem to suggest," he said. "DrugScope believes drugs education should be a compulsory part of the National Curriculum for primary school children, as part of a package of healthy living education."
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