Speaking as the annual report on smoking drinking and drug use by young people in England was published Eric Carlin, Chair of the Drug Education Forum, said:

When half a million young people are estimated to have drunk alcohol in the last week, and quarter of a million have taken drugs in the last month we know there remains a great deal of work to be done by parents, teachers and others involved in trying to reduce the harms done by drugs.

Drug education plays a part in helping young people get the knowledge, skills and to resist the pressures and temptations to take drugs including alcohol and tobacco.

Despite claims to the contrary it is clear that drug education is being delivered within a moral context with more than 4 out of 5 saying it helped them realise that taking drugs was against the law and that they should avoid doing it.

Whichever government comes into power next year it is important they honour the commitment to make PSHE a statutory part of the curriculum.

Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use among young people in England in 2008 has been published by the Information Centre at www.ic.nhs.uk