FIGURES have been released by a drug abuse support service showing the most commonly used substances in Barrow.

Cumbria Alcohol and Drug Advisory Service have released statistics detailing the most commonly used substances in Barrow.

Between March 2016 and March 2017, the most commonly used substance reported at the Cadas office in Barrow was alcohol.

An overwhelming majority of referees at the services abused alcohol - 56 per cent out of those recorded.

The second most used substance was cannabis which made up 12 per cent of referrals; this was followed by cocaine. The class A drug was reported by 11 per cent of users at Cadas.

Less used substances included heroin at eight per cent, and new psychoactive substances - so called legal highs - at seven per cent.

Earlier in August The Mail reported Barrow had one of the highest drug-related death rates in England and Wales.

Leigh Williams, chief executive of Cadas, said: "We'd like to see a reduction of the stigma around addiction, we campaign to reduce the stigma around drug and alcohol abuse."