One in three Scots have taken illegal drugs at some point in their lives, survey findings showed today.

The figure - 37% - represents a huge increase on the 24% identified in a previous survey in 2004.

Experts who compiled the survey said today they were satisfied the new figure was more accurate. It compares with 35% in England and Wales.

The figures were published in the Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey, made public today.

In Scotland, 17% said they had taken Class A drugs - like cocaine, crack, heroin and ecstasy - compared to 14% in England and Wales.

Current drug use was at much lower levels - 13% of those taking part in the survey had taken drugs at some point in the previous year, and 8% had taken one or more drugs in the last month.

Cannabis was the most commonly-used drug, with 33% of respondents saying they had used it at some point in their lives - and 11% in the last year.

Cocaine and ecstasy were the second-most commonly used, having been taken by 3% of respondents in the past year.

One in five people said they had been offered an illicit drug in the past year.

The most common age for first trying drugs was between 16 and 19, with half of all those surveyed having first tried drugs in that period.

Those who were currently using drugs said they had no difficulty getting them.

Eighty per cent of current drug users said they found it easy to get hold of the drugs they had taken most often in the last month.

Experts who compiled the survey said changes in the way the survey was conducted explained the difference from the previous figure, and made comparisons with previous years meaningless.

Previously, respondents answered on a sheet of paper but this time the results were keyed directly into the researchers' laptops.