The number of Scots using cocaine has stayed the same despite overall drug use declining, according to a new study.

Just less than four per cent of those aged between 16 and 59 said they had taken cocaine at some point in the previous year, the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2008-09 found. The rate is the same in the 2006 survey.

However the overall rate of people who took drugs in the last year has dropped by just over two percentage points compared with the earlier survey results.

The downward trend is repeated in the frequency of drug use, with a three per cent drop in people who admitted to taking drugs.

A quarter of Scots admitted they had tried drugs at least once, most likely cannabis.

Amphetamines and ecstasy were the next most commonly tried drugs after cannabis but in the last year and in the last month cocaine was most common after cannabis.

People in Scotland are also less likely to have tried drugs than those in England and Wales, according to the survey.

The survey showed that men are more likely to take drugs than women - 11% of men admitted taking drugs in the past year, compared with four per cent of women.

The majority of people said they tried drugs for the first time when they were in their teens - 48% of 16 to 19-year-olds said they did so and 76% said the first drug they tried was cannabis.

Around 11,000 private residents took part in the survey during face-to-face interviews in their homes.

The study aimed to provide a picture of drug use among the general population and excluded students and prisoners.

Twelve participants who claimed they used a bogus drug called semeron were excluded from the survey. Fictitious drugs are commonly included in surveys to flush out people who lie about their habits.

Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing said: "It is encouraging to see that more and more Scots are turning away from the destructive world of drugs misuse.

"The fact that there has been a decrease in drugs use across the country is to be welcomed but this is just a small step in the right direction and there is still a long battle ahead to turn around Scotland's damaging relationship with drugs.

"We are under no illusions about the very real problems still being experienced by too many families and communities across Scotland and we will continue to fight as hard as we can to get the message across that drugs destroy lives and bring misery to communities."

Mr Ewing said £28million was being spent on drug treatment services.

The figures were blasted by Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice Richard Baker.

He said: "Sadly, these figures show that the Scottish Government are making no progress in tackling cocaine. Class A drugs, such as cocaine, are linked to heart problems, paranoia and continue to lead to too many unnecessary deaths. There is no such thing as a safe dose.
 
"The fact that frequent drug users are finding it easier than ever to get their hands on drugs is extremely concerning. This worrying trend should be a wake-up call to Kenny MacAskill.”