Just 2pc of Irish third-level students have never consumed alcohol.
The revelation came in a hard-hitting new survey on the alcohol and drug use habits of Irish students.
The survey found that 82pc of Irish students have tried illegal drugs, 98pc have consumed alcohol, 82pc have tried cigarettes or tobacco products and 50pc have tried e-cigarettes.
Its findings were released as Junior Justice Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin attended a special 'Help Not Harm' (HNH) event in Cork on the issues surrounding drug use in Ireland and drug decriminalisation.
The Labour TD is one of those responsible for the revised Misuse of Drugs Act which is currently going through the Oireachtas.
The new regulations will, if enacted, allow for the creation of special medically-supervised injection centres for addicts.
Ireland is also examining the Portuguese model of tackling drugs which involved decriminalising possession of small quantities of drugs for personal use in 2001.
But this was done in tandem with massively improving health education and awareness campaigns about the dangers posed by the use of addictive substances.
HNH official Graham de Barra said it was vital that a multi-stakeholder approach be taken to the issue of drugs in Ireland.
Source: Ralph Riegel, Irish Independent, 11/11/15
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