About 7 percent of 461 children between 10 to 12 surveyed in Tokyo and its vicinity view the use of quasi-legal drugs as a matter of individual choice, an antidrug lobby said Sunday.

The survey on "dappo" (loophole) drugs, which are technically legal but potentially harmful and viewed as "gateway drugs," also showed that one child had tried such drugs and six wanted to, the private group said. The drugs are now being referred to as "kiken" (dangerous) drugs.

The Nihon Yakubutsu Taisaku Kyokai (Japan Antidrug Association) warned that drugs are "more widespread than we had imagined" among young children and called for early antidrug education.

Conducted between October and March, the questionnaire covered fifth- and sixth-graders at five elementary schools in Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture.

Of the total, 416 students, or 90.2 percent, knew loophole drugs existed, ranking below 93.1 percent for stimulants but far more than the 53.8 percent who knew of cannabis.

As for actually using loophole drugs, 15 students, or 3.3 percent, said they do not view it as bad as long as they are not classified as illegal.

Four students had seen or heard of someone taking such drugs, and two had been encouraged by a friend or acquaintance to do so.