"The purpose of education is to make the
choices clear to people, not to make the choices for
people." Peter McWilliams
Education policies, like health policies, teach
young people about making informed choices and taking
responsibility for their own health. However young
people are then prevented from doing so by the law.
The law and the Government's 'War on Drugs' are aimed
at a 'Just Say NO' abstinence policy for illegal
drugs compared with massive tolerance for legal
drugs. The law tells young people they will be
punished if they even possess some of the safest
social drugs known. The law clearly encourages people
to use legal drugs and not illegal drugs - that must
be the law's objective - and yet we know legal drugs
are more dangerous! That is not merely irresponsible
but positively evil. And it's little wonder that
children are confused and end up disrespecting the
law and the authorities.
All of this contrasts with the sensible education
policies Government claims to follow, below. They say
"It is vital that the Government's message to
young people is open, honest and credible. Drug laws
must accurately reflect the relative harms of
different drugs if they are to persuade young people
in particular of the dangers of misusing drugs".
But of course drug laws don't do this. Shouldn't the
Government tell us that, contrary to what the law
implies, tobacco is more addictive than heroin and
that tobacco addicts have a greater death rate than
those addicted to street-quality heroin?
Government's Drug
education in schools: an update - September 2000:
"Effective policies and programmes
22. When a drug education programme is effective it
enables pupils to make healthy, informed choices by
increasing their knowledge and understanding of drugs
and their effects, challenging their attitudes and
helping them to develop skills such as being
assertive.
To achieve these aims an effective drug education
programme will seek to:
- give students accurate information about
drugs and their effects;
- encourage responsible behaviour in relation
to drug use and misuse:
- promote positive attitudes towards healthy
lifestyles;
- challenge and try to modify attitudes when
they may lead to behaviour harmful to health
and relationships;
- explore related health and social issues,
such as HIV/AIDS and crime.
The drug education policy at an 11-18 mixed
comprehensive school in the south west has
appropriate aims:
- to increase knowledge and understanding of
drugs and their effects by providing accurate
information;
- to improve self-knowledge, particularly in
terms of risk-taking;
- to promote positive attitudes towards healthy
lifestyles; to challenge and try to modify
these when they may lead to behaviour harmful
to health;
- to promote a sense of responsibility towards
the use of drugs;
- to develop social skills such as making
informed choices and resisting unhelpful
pressures from peers and from advertising.
23. Effective drug education programmes return to
topics at each key stage for reinforcement and
coverage in greater depth.
They include:
- Knowledge and understanding
- definitions of terms (such as use,
misuse, abuse, addiction, tolerance,
dependence, overdose, withdrawal,
adulteration);
- different types of medicine and
categories of legal and illegal drugs,
including their form, effects and risks;
- the law relating to the use of legal and
illegal drugs;
- patterns of drugs misuse locally and
nationally and the impact on community
and wider society (Key Stage 4);
- drug policy in this country, including
education, prevention, policing,
penalties, treatment and rehabilitation
(Key Stage 4);
- people who can help if pupils have
worries.
- identifying risks to health;
- coping with peer influences;
- communicating with adults, parents and
professionals;
- decision-making and assertiveness in
situations relating to drug misuse;
- giving and securing help.
www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/docs/3016.pdf
National Curriculum PSHE:
Key Stage 1:
Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle
3) Pupils should be taught:
f) that all household products, including medicines,
can be harmful if not used properly
Key Stage 2:
3) Pupils should be taught:
(d) which commonly available substances and drugs are
legal and illegal, their effects and risks
Key Stage 3:
2) Pupils should be taught:
d) basic facts and laws, including school rules,
about alcohol and tobacco, illegal substances and the
risks of misusing prescribed drugs
Key Stage 4:
2) Pupils should be taught:
e) about the health risks of alcohol, tobacco and
other drug use, early sexual activity and pregnancy,
different food choices and sunbathing, and about
safer choices they can make
www.nc.uk.net/webdav/servlet/XRM?Page/@id=6004&Subject/@id=4212
Government's report '10 year
strategy for tackling drugs':
"We need to ensure that young people have
all the information they need to make informed
decisions about drugs".
"All activity supported by this strategy will:
inform young people, parents, and those who
advise/work with them about the risks and
consequences of drug misuse, linked to other
substances - including alcohol, tobacco and
solvents"
www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm39/3945/strategy.htm
Government's Updated Drugs Strategy
2002:
p.3: "Young people ... need good quality drug
education, information and advice based on a credible
assessment of the damage drugs do".
p.7: "Universal programmes of education and
information will give all young people and their
families the information and skills they need to
protect themselves from the risks and harm of all
drugs".
p.22: "It is vital that the Government's message
to young people is open, honest and credible. Drug
laws must accurately reflect the relative harms of
different drugs if they are to persuade young people
in particular of the dangers of misusing drugs.
This will be achieved by: ensuring that all young
people understand the risks and dangers of drugs and
their use, and know where to go for advice or
help".
www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/NationalStrategy/1038840683/Updated_Drug_Strategy_2002.pdf
Advisory Council on the Misuse of
Drugs report 'The classification of cannabis under
the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971':
"the provision of accurate and objective advice
on the health effects of all drugs, and where to
access treatment, must be a key part of our drug
strategy."
www.doh.gov.uk/drugs/acmd/cannabisreportmar02.pdf
Advisory Council on the Misuse of
Drugs report 'Government Drugs Policy: Is it
Working?':
"….it would be easier to deter new users
through truthful education policies if the laws on
drugs were consistent with those on alcohol and
tobacco".
www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmhaff/318/31802.htm
Drugs Prevention Advisory Service
& Home Office, Briefing Paper 2002:
"Drug education in this paper refers to
education on a range of legal and illegal substances,
including alcohol, tobacco, solvents and volatile
substances, prescribed and non-prescribed medication
and illegal drugs. It emphasises the importance of
preparing young people to manage drug issues through
a life skills approach to drug education. As well as
providing young people with accurate information
about drugs and their effects, a life skills approach
helps children and young people develop skills to
assess risk, negotiate, manage relationships and
develop selfawareness".
www.drugeducation.org.uk/downloads/DPAS_BRIEF.pdf
The Substance of Young Needs -
review 2001 (Health Advisory Service):
p.27: "The specific aims of drug
education are to make informed choices, to take
responsibility in drug related situations, develop
assertiveness and gain skills in
decision-making".
www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/YoungPeople/1042216356/substance_young_needs.pdf
"Young people will become more socially and
morally responsible by: taking responsibility for
their own actions; discussing the risks associated
with drug use; discussing the effect that drug use
has on those around us; challenging stereotypes of
drug users and suppliers; and making informed choices
about what is right or wrong".
[p.27, Talking about Drugs - Home
Office/DoH/DfES]
Let's Get Real - communicating with
the public about drugs (Home Office):
p.40: "Information should focus on
addictive drugs, communicating what addiction
means".
www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/Communications/DPASPublications/1033750738/1033751391.pdf
"Primary prevention programmes should target
alcohol, tobacco and solvents as well as illicit
drugs"
[p.6, Key message, Developing Local
Drugs Prevention Strategies (Home Office)]
"promote an understanding of all substances
of misuse and their potential risks, including
tobacco, alcohol as well as drugs".
[p.(ii) Executive Summary, The
Substance of Young Needs - review 2001 (Health
Advisory Service) ]
"promote public awareness of the importance
of prevention and/or safe use of tobacco, alcohol and
all licit/illicit drugs in children and young
people".
[p.31 Recommendation, The Substance of
Young Needs - review 2001 (Health Advisory Service) ]
The UN General Assembly adopted the
DECLARATION ON THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF DRUG DEMAND
REDUCTION:
"15. Information utilized in educational and
prevention programmes should be clear, scientifically
accurate and reliable, culturally valid, timely and,
where possible, tested with a target population.
Every attempt should be made to ensure
credibility, avoid sensationalism, promote trust and
enhance effectiveness. States should, in cooperation
with the media, seek to raise public consciousness
about the hazards of drug use and to promote
preventive messages, countering the promotion of drug
use in popular culture".
http://www.un.org/ga/20special/demand.htm
Parents as role models:
"Although most parents say that they want to
know more about drugs, many are also keen to hold on
to their prejudices. Learning about drugs usually
involves admitting that some are more dangerous than
others, and this weakens the argument for a complete
ban on drugs".
[p.11, Talking
about Drugs - Home Office/DoH/DfES]
"providing parents with accurate knowledge
about drugs and highlighting the need to demonstrate
attitudes and behaviour towards drugs use (including
use of alcohol and tobacco) that are consistent with
the drug prevention message they are imparting"
[p.42, Recommendation 3, Taking the
Message Home - DPAS Paper 5 (Home Office) ]
"Increasingly, young people feel that
authority is hypocritical rather than ignorant about
drugs, particularly in the light of senior
politicians admitting that they have smoked cannabis
in the past".
[p.12, Talking about Drugs - Home
Office/DoH/DfES]
Project work for children: "Project 6 -
Drugumentary Discussion Points: How much money do
governments make from alcohol and tobacco sales? Who
sponsors sporting events and why? How do medical
research and development companies make money?"
[p.55, Talking about Drugs - Home
Office/DoH/DfES]
"Accurate advice must … address …
up to date … information on responses to
intoxication, … advice on overdose … or
physical health advice".
[p.43, The Substance of Young Needs -
review 2001 (Health Advisory Service) ]
"The insistence on abstinence as a primary
and immediate goal may discourage engagement and
retention of some young people. A harm reduction
approach may be more acceptable".
[p.47, The Substance of Young Needs -
review 2001 (Health Advisory Service) ]
"young people find that taking drugs -
particularly cannabis and perhaps also ecstasy and
speed - is not not as dangerous as they were led to
believe".
[p.8, Talking about Drugs - Home
Office/DoH/DfES]
Links:
Area Child Protection Committees: www.acpc.gov.uk
Behaviour Support Plans: www.dfes.gov.uk/circulars/1_98/summary.htm
Children’s Fund: www.dfes.gov.uk/cypu
Children and Young People’s Unit: www.dfes.gov.uk/cypu
Children’s National Service Framework: www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/children.htm
Connexions: www.connexions.gov.uk
Children’s Taskforce: www.doh.gov.uk/childrenstaskforce
Department of Health guidance: www.doh.gov.uk/drugs/polguide.htm
Drug Education Forum: www.drugeducation.org.uk
DfES website: www.dfes.gov.uk
Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Training Package: www.dfes.gov.uk/teachers/cpd
NHS: www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk
Ofsted: www.ofsted.gov.uk
Sure Start (helping young parents cope): www.surestart.gov.uk
