Responding to the publication of the government?s drug strategy, Eric Carlin, Chair of the Drug Education Forum, said:

It?s good to see the commitment to improving the effectiveness of drug education and prevention for children and young people in the strategy. We know that most young people value this approach above others, with 94% saying it helped them think about the risks involved with taking drugs, and 82% saying it helped them avoid drugs.

It is going to be important for the government to get it right when talking to parents, schools, and others who deliver drug education about what evidence says is effective and to tie this to the wider public health agenda.

It?s also going to be important that there are sufficient resources available to train teachers and others so that Ofsted can report on what we hope will be improving practice, and fewer young people taking drugs.

Ends

Notes:

• Figures used are from Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2006.
• In the Drug Education Forum?s response to the consultation on the drug strategy we said:

We would like to see regular reports – perhaps every three years – from Ofsted on the teaching of drug education so that government, schools, parents and pupils can assess whether progress is being made.