One in five �Glasgow schoolchildren who took part in a major new survey admitted �taking drugs, and 15% said they got drunk once a week. A total of 9246 pupils from 28 secondary schools across the city were polled in 2007 for the study.

One in five Glasgow schoolchildren who took part in a major new survey admitted taking drugs, and 15% said they got drunk once a week.

In the most detailed study yet of the health and behaviour of the city's young people, a fifth of all pupils who took part, some as young as 12, said they had taken drugs, 18% in the past year.

In the 15- and 16-year-old age group, 30% admitted using drugs, including ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis.

A total of 9246 pupils from 28 secondary schools across the city were polled in 2007 for the study, commissioned by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Glasgow City Council. It will be used to shape future policy on health and education.

The young people were surveyed anonymously on a range of subjects including antisocial behaviour, health, education and family life.

Of those who had taken drugs in the past year, the most widely used substance was cannabis, at 80%. More than a quarter said they had taken ecstasy, and 16% cocaine.

More than half - 53% - said they had consumed alcohol. More than 20% of pupils in fourth year said they drank at least once a week, 15% of all pupils said they got drunk once a week and 3% claimed they got drunk most days of the week. Girls were more likely than boys to drink alcohol.

The most common alcoholic drinks were beer, lager or cider (51%), followed by spirits (47%). The pupils highlighted the low cost and availability of alcohol.

Dr Linda de Caestecker, director of Public Health at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said the true figures for underage drinking were likely to be higher because most people underestimated their alcohol intake.

She said: "It is worrying that so many young people are drinking regularly.

"As adults, whether parents or teachers or others, we need to be better role models for our young people as over-consumption of alcohol is a problem for our whole society. We need to tackle this through increasing the price of alcohol and tackling under-age sales and availability.

"We should take a national stance against advertising, as we did with tobacco."

Margaret Doran, Glasgow City Council's executive director of children and families, said: "We have listened to the views of our young people and the key thing now is that we have to respond.

"Adults can think they have the solutions but young people want to know who is the person of influence who will listen to them.

"Time and time again what came up in the survey was that young people are tired of being stereotyped."