Every third student above seventh grade in Bulgaria is willing to try drugs, education Minister Daniel Valchev said Wednesday at the start of the national information campaign for children's drug addiction prevention.
The campaign is sloganed "Once you start, life ends" and was launched after statistics revealed the age limit of children willing to try drugs had fallen.
Drug addiction has turned into a really serious problem for Bulgaria's society, research shows. The age limit of kids taking drugs is extremely low and extends even to fifth-graders.
About 16% of the nine-graders take drugs and the percent among twelve-graders reaches 25.9.
The number of students who have tried drugs at least once has also increased. 28% of the students are curious to try drugs. The percent is greater among older students.
Every third student has already made the first step towards drugs and that according to experts is the crucial turning point.