Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
Education about the dangers
Schools have a responsibility to provide drug education and consider their
response to drug misuse. They do this by working in partnership with
parents, health and social services, police and other agencies. Drug education
should include illegal drugs, medicines, alcohol, tobacco and volatile
substances such as glue.
Schools are encouraged to draw up drug education policies. Schools should
involve parents in the development of their policy on drugs and keep you
informed as to what your child will learn and when.
Read below some frequently asked questions (FAQs) from parents on drugs
education:
What is my child's school teaching about drugs?
There's nothing unusual in this, and certainly doesn't mean the school
has a drug problem. All schools must teach about drugs, alcohol and tobacco as
part of the science curriculum, and many discuss the issues in their Personal,
Social and Health Education (PSHE) programmes. However, teachers only talk
about what is appropriate for the different age groups.
Isn't it too early to start teaching children about drugs, alcohol
and tobacco at primary school?
Research shows that its possible to influence young people away
from drug use by beginning to talk about the issues long before they might
start experimenting. Primary schools have a very important role in preparing
students for situations they'll encounter throughout their school life and
beyond. However, it is not appropriate to talk about illegal drug use with the
youngest students, except in exceptional circumstances. Primary schools will
start with the most basic lessons such as the working of the body and safety
issues around medicines and household substances.
If pupils are caught with drugs, will they be excluded?
Schools should send a clear message to students and parents that drugs in
school are not acceptable, but decisions on whether to exclude pupils are the
responsibility of head teachers.
Wouldn't teaching encourage more children to experiment with
drugs?
There is a lot of evidence to suggest the opposite is true. When young people
are given advice and information from people that they trust parents, teachers,
family members and the opportunity to practice skills to resist unhelpful
pressures, they're less likely to make ill-informed decisions about
drug-taking. In addition, drug education has been shown to have an impact on
delaying the onset of drug-use, which in turn reduces the risk of children and
young people progressing from experimental to problematic drug use.
Shouldn't teachers tell children to just say no?
Telling children and young people to just say no to drugs is not enough. They
should be encouraged to reject drugs because they believe that's the right
thing to do, not just because they have been told to say no. They need a great
deal of information if they're to come to sensible decisions about drug
misuse. But information alone is not enough. Pupils also need skills to help
them resist pressure to experiment with drugs, and they need positive attitudes
towards living healthy lives.
Are schools changing what they teach about cannabis?
Reclassifying cannabis from a Class B to a Class C controlled drug has not
legalised or decriminalised it. It has enabled the Government and
schools to give a more credible message to young people about the relative
dangers of drugs, in line with the latest scientific advice. The
change has also enabled a more effective focus on Class A drugs, such as
heroin and crack, which cause the most harm. To find out more information,
go to the 
Government's
drugs website
[External Site].
What do children learn about drugs?
Drug, alcohol and tobacco education is a part of science lessons in the
National Curriculum - 5 to 7 year olds
learn about the role of drugs as medicines; 7 to 11 year olds learn that
alcohol, tobacco and other drugs can have harmful effects; 11 to 14 year olds
learn how the misuse of solvents, tobacco and other drugs affects health; and
14 to 16 year olds learn about the effects of solvents, tobacco, alcohol and
other drugs on body functions. This represents the statutory minimum.
Schools are advised to use the non-statutory frameworks for PSHE and
Citizenship at Key Stages 1 and 2, PSHE
at Key Stages 3 and 4, and the statutory Programmes of Study for Citizenship at
Key Stages 3 and 4 as the context for developing drug education further.
How should I approach talking to my children about
drugs?
Tackling thorny subjects like drugs can be difficult for both parents and
children. However, shying away from discussing the issue can leave children in
the dark, which is dangerous. You can put yourself in the best position
by:
- Getting to know the facts about drugs
- Finding out what your child's school is teaching and being clear on the schools policy on managing drug incidents
- Expressing your views and explaining why you hold them
- Talking to other parents and support groups
Downloads:
Frank:
Briefing - A Family Guide
- download (.pdf)
(help)
The
Real Picture - Parents & Teenagers
- download (.pdf)
149.77KB
(help)
Next Steps
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