Commenting today on the case of an 11-year-old girl in Glasgow who was taken from school to hospital after taking heroin, SNP Holyrood leader and MSP for Glasgow, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, said:

"While this case is shocking, it is not, unfortunately, an isolated incident. Indeed, a 2003 study by Glasgow University showed that around 4  per cent of  2000 preteen children surveyed had experimented with drugs in the past.

"More clearly needs to be done to crack down on the dealers who are able to sell hard drugs to young children. We must also ensure that children are educated about the dangers of drug use as quickly and effectively as possible.

"Drug use amongst youngsters is a child protection issue, and local authorities must ensure that the appropriate resources are made available to ensure that identification and intervention for children who are using drugs is as quick and effective as possible."