All they want for Christmas is their next fix ... the 14-year-old drug addicts

MORE than 20 drug addicts aged 14 and under have been seen by counsellors in the Lothians in one year

The level of the problem has alarmed support workers who said growing numbers of young people were harming themselves by taking cocktails of drugs.

Twenty-one under-15s were among the 158 teenagers seen by Lothians counsellors in the year up to March. Ten of the under-15s lived in Edinburgh and 11 in West Lothian.

The size of the problem has been revealed just days after NHS statistics showed at least nine Lothian drug addicts began injecting heroin when they were under 15.

The same report also showed the region had the highest number of HIV cases among heroin users in Scotland.

John Arthur, manager of the Edinburgh-based Crew 2000 drug support agency, said: "For young people a single drug is not normally the issue. It's usually the mixing of drugs, and that includes alcohol, which can become problematic.

"From our experiences working in clubs and other venues we know that young people are taking substances and it's symptomatic that some of them get into difficulties.

"They may experience problems with their jobs, or relationships, or education, or perhaps getting in trouble with police, as a result.

"These teenagers may not immediately recognise that drugs are causing these difficulties.

"They might make the decision to seek help once they have experienced a relationship breakdown or even being thrown out of their house."

Tom Wood, head of Action on Alcohol and Drugs in Edinburgh, said: "Among the thousands of people who enter drugs services 21 is actually quite a low number. But at that young age it is significant and a cause for concern. However, I would much rather they were in treatment than not. There will undoubtedly be more youngsters out there with serious drug problems but it won't be in the thousands or even the hundreds."

Mr Wood said the level of HIV infections showed the problems still being caused by needle sharing by drug addicts.

Research shows that 23 per cent of heroin users admitted sharing needles during the last month.

Mr Wood said: "Heroin users sharing needles is an endemic problem that won't go away. There is nowhere near the levels of HIV infections we saw 20 years ago, but it is something we must always keep an eye on. We don't want to go back to those days."

The Scottish Drugs Database shows that in 2006, 12 people died from heroin use in the Lothians, nine from methadone, four from cocaine and one from ecstasy.

Dr Fiona Watson, clinical director of NHS Lothian's community drug problem service, said: "Young people are seen as a clinical priority and dedicated services have been set up to meet their needs. In Edinburgh, NHS Lothian is working with the charity NCH and the City of Edinburgh Council on HYPE, Help for Young People in Edinburgh, which offers specialist services for young people with drug and alcohol issues.

"We want to try to prevent young people from getting into any longer term dependency issues and promote recovery for them."

GRIM STATISTICS OF CITY'S USERS
THE report, published this week, showed that out of the 1089 heroin users referred to services, nine also used crack cocaine.

The study also found that the average cocaine user in Lothian spends £101-a-day on their habit after 151 were surveyed.

For heroin, 1186 were surveyed and the average daily cost of their habit was put at £37. A quarter of the clients reported to the Scottish Drugs Database in the Lothians admitted funding their drug use through crime. A total of 65 per cent said they obtained the cash through benefits and 17 per cent through a job.

In Lothian, 2013 people reported using drugs with 1186 abusing heroin, 296 with methadone, 151 with cocaine, 85 with ecstasy, 665 with cannabis and nine with solvents.

In Edinburgh, a total of 16 under-21s were convicted of supplying drugs with 149 aged over 21. Police seized 8.2kg of cocaine in the force area in 2005/6.