NHS yesterday released statistics that alarmed many, revealing that the number of youngsters being treated for excessive use of cocaine has increased by 65% from the number that was in 2005 i. e. from 453 to 745 people addicted. Also the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) informed that the purity of street samples has deteriorated.

In a review to the Home Secretary, the council's Chairman Professor Les Iversen said, "I hope it would counteract the increasingly common misapprehension that cocaine is a relatively safe drug, but I did not expect it to result in a call for a change in the classification of cocaine. Cocaine is a very harmful drug to individuals and more broadly society and evidence of the continued increasing prevalence of cocaine use is deeply concerning".

Prof. Les also cited the British Crime Survey statistics unveiling that it was found that last year, 6.6% of youngsters aged between 16 and 24 used cocaine while it was 1.3% in 1996.