In this section we look at some of the basic questions about drug education.
What do you mean by "drug"?
We define a drug as a substance people take to change the way they feel, think or behave. This term encompasses all prescribed and over-the-counter medicines, all legal drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, volatile (sniffable) substances, and all illegal drugs covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971).
What do you think good drug education does?
It enables children and young people to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, promote responsibility towards the use of drugs and relate these to their own actionsand those of others, both now and in their future lives.
How do you define drug education?
Drug education is the planned provision of information and skills relevant to living in a world where drugs are common place. Planning should include developing strategies for helping children and young people engage with relevant drug-related issues during opportunistic and brief contacts with them as well as during more structured sessions.
Drug education provides opportunities for young people to reflect on their own and others' attitudes to drugs, drug taking and drug takers.
Who should teach drug education?
Drugs are a subject that parents need to talk to their children about. We know that this can be a difficult subject and can raise strong emotions. There are a number of resources to help parents think about what they want to say and to help them hear what their children are saying about drugs.
In schools, drug education is a
statutory part of the national science curriculum. This means that schools must teach drug education. However, the government advise schools to use the non-statutory Personal Social and Health Education cirriculum to cover drug education.
The youth service also deliver health education, incuding drug education, and again we think that training is helpful in getting this right.
Many schools bring in outside speakers to help them talk about drugs. What do you think about that?
Outside speakers can have a powerful influence on children and young people. We advise that schools - and other settings - thinking about getting an outside speaker should read the DfES guidance on this subject.