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Pathways to Problems – a response

Pathways to Problems – a response

Speaking on the publication of the ACMD report, Pathways to Problems, Andrew Brown, Coordinator of the Drug Education Forum, said:

Drug education is one of a range of interventions that are used to help young people growing up in a world where they are being offered, but not necessarily taking, illegal drugs.

The Drug Education Forum believes that drug education must be an entitlement for children and young people, which uses their knowledge, experience and attitudes as a starting point for further learning. Children and young people must get consistent, accurate and timely information about drugs – including prescription medicines, solvents, tobacco and alcohol – as part of their drug education.

I welcome the report from the ACMD, which gives us a very clear picture of some of the challenges in helping young people to develop into healthy adults. The Drug Education Forum wants children and young people to have the information and skills they need to make the right decisions about drugs. Our members will be doing all we can to influence the policy and practice around drug education so that they benefit.

Most young people don’t use illegal drugs, but those that do often start after they have finished their statutory drug education. As we saw in this year’s Street Drug Prices survey there are changing patterns to the drugs use that we need to understand.

The Drug Education Forum welcomes an additional focus on informing older young people about drugs, both through formal and informal educational routes.